XML in Publishing The Printer’s Perspective

1. XML in PublishingThe Printer’s Perspective A Presentation by David Lewis of Clowes Information

2. Introduction • Printing is seen as a Cinderella Industry - but the book remains a main source of revenue • Printers are not Luddites – they do have reason to be cynics

3. The Early Days of Structured Document Creation • Typesetters have always wanted to code documents • Early SGML projects originated by typesetters • Typesetters were obsessed with keystrokes • contributed to tag minimization • Always normalise SGML before use • Sequence used to be Typeset then convert to SGML • It has now become Create SGML then typeset

4. The Loss of Structure • Authors originate in MS Wordbut do not add structure • The move to new media publishing given to IT dept • Cannot go from legacy data to structured data via HTML • DTP made everyone an expert – structure disappeared

5. Publishing Databases • The idea of typesetting from databases is not new • Supplied as fielded or separated lists. • Not easy to change this interface • New databases have emulated old interfaces • Relational model is not ideal for free text • often sets of Word files managed by RDBMS • Is it time to do it properly – use an XML database? • Hardest task of all is to get editorial staff to use structured editing software

6. DTD Creation • Can use Docbook – it tries to be all things to all men • There is often missing metadata for a book page • Books require many types of space, so use the entities • Even better - make an element group to keep items under positional control • Groups also facilitate finding the last in a list – a, b, c, d and e

7. DTD Creation • Multiple references to a float • we need one that calls in the picture • References to graphics • OK to rotate landscape tables/graphics? • are there rules for sizing to fit the page layout? • Is specific text needed for headline or footline • Ambiguity of quoted paras within paras • A group may resolve the ambiguity

8. Creating XML • Legacy conversion • Extra workload on editorial staff • Fallback is re-keying • Smart conversion from existing files avoids introducing new errors • Conversion from SGML • Data files generally not too difficult • DTD conversion more difficult • Do not attempt the conversion at a critical time

9. Creating XML • Authoring XML • Unfortunately most publishers and authors want to use MS Word • Word look-alike approach • Database entry look-alike approach • Multi window views of the same document • Spaces are important • Use text editor to know exactly what is in the XML

10. Page Makeup • Makeup for a printed page is more demanding than for electronic delivery • There is a much higher expectation of quality on a printed page • Printed page has width and depth constraints • Floating objects share space with the text flow • Need to fill as much white space as possible to minimise the number of pages

11. Page Makeup • From XML it should be as automatic as possible • XSL does not yet have print page features (if ever) • XSL defines the rules – page makeup needs ways to solve the problems caused by the rules. • Designers should consider potential page break problems caused by the design • Publishers/Editors always seem to do corrections when they see pages

12. The Printer’s Contribution • There is a high turnover of Publisher’s staff, so Printers are often the only continuity • Trusted bythe current production team • Can best manage the transition from legacy to structured data • Printer has the best knowledge of the data,therefore well placed to lead DTD design. • Printer can be best interface to “XML experts”

13. The Printer’s Contribution • Printers have set up new media operations, but often disguise the association by a change of name • Does the promised inclusion of XML within PDF bring the wheel full circle? • Spec for PDF 1.4 includes XML metadataeg PPML for personalization

14. And Finally Remember . . . Cinderella DID go to the balland DID marry the Prince