Hi Gordon, you may want to post your questions in the dita-users and/or framemaker-dita Yahoo groups. You'll get more answers there:
* http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/dita-users/ * http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/framemaker-dita/ I run a consultancy, specializing in DITA-based technical writing, but I am also a long-time "Framer", so I think I can give you a couple of recommendations. This is what I'm currently using: * *Authoring*: XMetal 5 and/or FrameMaker 8 with the DITA-FMx plug-in (http://www.leximation.com/dita-fmx/) * *Publishing*: FrameMaker to PDF and the DITA Open Toolkit to xhtml, EclipseHelp and chm. I use chm2web Pro to convert the chm to webhelp (simple, fast and inexpensive). WebWorks ePublisher is the only help authoring tool (HAT) I know so far which accepts a ditamap as input. I have done some quick tests and it looks promising, but I need to do some further testing here. * *Managing DITA content*: Our technical writers use the CMS of the customers, so we don't have a CMS (yet). You may want to check out this site: http://dita.xml.org/products. Kind regards Yves Barbion Managing Director Adobe-Certified FrameMaker Instructor Scripto Belgium Gordon McLean wrote: > DITA isn't a publishing standard, it's a content structure standard I > thought. > > Perhaps I need to state my question more clearly. > > Does anyone have an example of all the applications (names!) used in an end > to end publishing system that is based on XML single source (DITA is a bit > of a red herring I guess, it's a standard, not an application). > > I know FrameMaker 8 supports DITA, and I'll be evaluating that soon (I > presume it handles the transformation from XML to 'FM editable' and back?). > But what CMS are people using? And what publishing engines? Webworks? Or > something from the DITA Open Toolkit? > > I'm wary of getting sucked into a proprietary path, and also of having an > overly complex build system (ultimately we want to publish on a schedule as > well as instantly to a website). I've visited and read up on a lot of vendor > propositions, and I'm aware that consultancies will have favoured solutions, > so I'm asking the Framers for THEIR recommendations if they have such a > system in place. > > Gordon > > -----Original Message----- > From: Shmuel Wolfson [mailto:sbw at actcom.com] > Sent: 12 March 2008 09:08 > To: Gordon McLean > Subject: Re: FrameMaker DITA and CMS > > You need an XML editor such as Xmetal or Structured Frame. The CMS helps for > version control and knowing which chinks are used in which books. > This is useful information when considering editing a chunk. DITA is a > popular XML publishing standard, although there are others. There is a > plug-in for structured Frame to have DITA support in Frame, and in Frame > 8 it is built in. > > HTH > > Regards, > Shmuel Wolfson > > > > Gordon McLean wrote: > >> I'm currently evaluating a variety of tools and solutions with an aim to >> moving the team to some form of single source process. >> >> We have looked at, and like, DITA, and will be using that as the basis for >> our content. >> >> However trying to find an end-to-end solution is proving hard, or perhaps >> I'm looking in the wrong places? >> >> My belief is we need a database (CMS) to hold the content (as XML chunks), >> an editing application (FrameMaker?) as well as a set of rules to >> > transform > >> the XML into something editable (or we get an XML editor like... XMetal?). >> We then need publishing engines to convert the XML to PDF, JavaHelp, HTML >> etc. >> >> Ohh and we need to maintain three different versions (releases) of the >> documentation set. >> >> The DITA side I've done a lot of research on, we have the beginnings of an >> Information Model and have planned out how we will specialise the schema >> > for > >> our own use. >> >> It's the tooling side that seems wide open. I've looked at the Open >> > Toolkit > >> but (and this may be a strange admission for a TECHNICAL writer) it's a >> little heavy on the tech side. >> >> So, in short, I'm looking for any/all recommendations in this area. If you >> have a DITA based publishing system in place, with version control, I'd >> > love > >> to hear about it! >> >> Gordon >> >> P.S. This is not an excuse for vendors to cold call me! >> >> >> > ____________________________________________________________________________ > ________________________ > >> This email (and any attachments) is private and confidential, and is >> > intended solely for the > >> addressee. If you have received this communication in error please remove >> > it and inform us via > >> telephone or email. Although we take all possible steps to ensure mail and >> > attachments > >> are free from malicious content, malware and viruses, we cannot accept any >> > responsibility > >> whatsoever for any changes to content outwith our administrative bounds. >> > The views represented > >> within this mail are solely the view of the author and do not reflect the >> > views of the organisation > >> as a whole. >> >> > ____________________________________________________________________________ > ________________________ > >> Graham Technology plc >> Registered in Scotland company no. SC143434 >> Registered Office India of Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, Scotland PA4 9LH >> >> http://www.grahamtechnology.com >> >> > ____________________________________________________________________________ > ________________________ > >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> You are currently subscribed to Framers as sbw at actcom.com. >> >> Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. >> >> To unsubscribe send a blank email to >> framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com >> or visit >> > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/sbw%40actcom.com > >> Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit >> http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. >> >> >> > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ > This email (and any attachments) is private and confidential, and is intended > solely for the > addressee. If you have received this communication in error please remove it > and inform us via > telephone or email. Although we take all possible steps to ensure mail and > attachments > are free from malicious content, malware and viruses, we cannot accept any > responsibility > whatsoever for any changes to content outwith our administrative bounds. The > views represented > within this mail are solely the view of the author and do not reflect the > views of the organisation > as a whole. > ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ > Graham Technology plc > Registered in Scotland company no. SC143434 > Registered Office India of Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, Scotland PA4 9LH > > http://www.grahamtechnology.com > ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ > > _______________________________________________ > > > You are currently subscribed to Framers as yves.barbion at gmail.com. > > Send list messages to framers at lists.frameusers.com. > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > framers-unsubscribe at lists.frameusers.com > or visit > http://lists.frameusers.com/mailman/options/framers/yves.barbion%40gmail.com > > Send administrative questions to listadmin at frameusers.com. Visit > http://www.frameusers.com/ for more resources and info. > >