Our Workshop:
Making the Move to Structured Text

by Christy Simard, Student Awards Manager

For ten years, Bernard Aschwanden has helped publishers and writers take advantage of structured text and publishing processes. At our annual workshop, which took place February 19 - 20 at the Kitchener Holiday Inn, Bernard led local writers and managers through an exploration of XML. He also delivered hands-on experience with the workflow possibilities that result from XML’s incorporation in technologies like Adobe FrameMaker, Microsoft Word, and the Microsoft .NET programming framework.

The lab-like environment and Bernard’s approachable style made the two-day session worthwhile and fun. In the end, we left with heaps of new technical and business knowledge about XML. We also gained insight into the roles XML can play in publishing, and where it might fit in our own situations.

Day 1: XML Inside and Out

After admitting that he installs software on his laptop while driving, Bernard commanded an entertaining and informative discussion about XML. He started by erasing any misconception that XML might be the silver bullet to our single-sourcing woes. Then, he gave us a thorough rundown on XML, the way only someone who’s been doing electronic publishing for a decade can.

We worked through the basics of XML, and where it fits in FrameMaker, Word, and .NET. In the end, we had a good understanding of the language of XML, how to reference its constituent parts, and how to approach representing information structure with DTDs, XML schemas, and EDDs (EDDs are FrameMaker-specific).

Throughout the day, Bernard inspired our creative palettes with demos. One workflow followed a structured document from Word, to FrameMaker, to Web Works Publisher, and finally to CHM.

It was obviously a robust process, especially when you consider the usual chain of events when another department changes your source Word document. We saw that turn around time can be measured in minutes instead of hours or days.

Another teaser showed the single source of a structured document transformed into several different information types and formatting styles (using Word and FrameMaker).

It was clear that we could:

• share information about our product or service, and
• present the information differently for different audiences, or
• optimize our presentation for different mediums.

Of course, there is an investment in the process to start, but when it cuts delivery time from weeks to hours, you can smell the business case.

Day 2: XML in action

By day two, we all had FrameMaker installed on our laptops and were ready for some practice. (Yes Bernard, we uninstalled the software Friday night to preserve your good relations with the kind people at Adobe.)

Day 2 fun and games had us:

1. analyze and represent a document’s structure (DTD)
2. convert the DTD to an XML schema (Oh yes, we know how they differ!)
3. author in a structured environment, with XML output
4. specify a simple style sheet
5. view our document through a web browser
6. lather, rinse, repeat

When things got hairy at the hotel (Was there really a fire?), we followed Bernard to the parking lot, where we surveyed the unique technical and strategic features of Word 2003 & VBA, FrameMaker 7 & FrameScript, and more.

Attendee Satisfaction High

If we assume the attendee feedback sheets provide a reasonable gauge (That is fair, isn’t it?), Bernard delivered a high-value, two-day session that was informative, relevant, and fun. As one participant stated, "Excellent—I was extremely happy with the outcome of this course and appreciated the hands-on experience!” And another said, “Bernard is very entertaining, very thorough, very informed, and very accommodating to participants' needs and questions...please bring him back!”

But wait! There’s more…

Some people can’t get enough good stuff. Bernard, in partnership with workshop attendee Peter Szabo, is exploring the potential for a joint general meeting with the Toronto chapter STC. In this hands-on workshop, we’d delve into the mechanical and theoretical details of specifying document structure. With Bernard’s expertise to guide us, a room full of smart people with real-life challenges, and your own unique document requirements, this could be a great opportunity!

If you’re interested in attending or helping organize this event, contact our program manager.