XMLmind XSL updates

XMLmind XSL Utility and XMLmind XSL Server now allow to convert the most complex DITA 1.2 documents to a variety of formats.

Other enhancements:

• Upgraded the following components in both XMLmind XSL Utility and XMLmind XSL Server:
  • Upgraded Apache FOP to version 1.0.
  • Upgraded the DocBook XSL stylesheets to version 1.76.1.
  • Upgraded XMLmind DITA Converter (ditac for short) to version 2.0, which adds support for DITA 1.2 documents.
  • Upgraded Saxon to version 9.2.1.5.
• Added support for the CSS 2.1 named color orange (#FFA500).

More...

Australia mandates Microsoft's Open Office XML

Australia's Department of Finance has released a desktop policy that required all agencies to adopt Office Open XML as the standard document format - a move that in the short term ensures Microsoft's Office suite remains embedded in government.

The Whole-of-Government Common Operating Environment (WofG COE) Policy [pdf] mandates that an agency's productivity suite "must have the ability to read and write the endorsed file format" that complies with the ECMA-376 version Office Open XML (OOXML) standard.

More...

oXygen 12.1

Version 12.1 of oXygen XML adds new features like a smart paste action that automatically converts content from office applications or from a web browser to DITA, DocBook or TEI, improves the XML authoring in areas like reference management, change tracking or the CSS rendering support and extends the API to incorporate feedback from partners which integrate oXygen with CMSs or other applications. On the XML development side the new version introduces the Quick Assist helper to facilitate access to search and refactoring actions plus a number of improvements to the XSLT and XQuery debuggers and to the Relax NG schema editor. As always there were continuous user interface and performance improvements and many of the oXygen components were updated to their latest versions.

Author:
* Smart Paste - Automatic Conversion to DITA, DocBook, TEI, etc.
* Automatic Refresh of Included Content
* Manage Tracked Changes at Word Level
* Different Visualization Modes of Documents Containing Tracked Changes
* Content Completion Supports Custom Actions
* Support for Auto Margins
* New CSS Extension Functions

DITA:
* Paste from HTML or Office Documents as DITA
* Improved Support for MathML in DITA

DocBook:
* Paste from HTML or Office Documents as DocBook

TEI:
* Paste from HTML or Office Documents as TEI

XSLT and XQuery Debuggers:
* XSLT 2.0 and XQuery Types in Variables and XWatch Views
* Enhanced XSLT Context Information

XML Development:
* Quick Assist
* Working Sets for Defining the Scope for Search and Refactoring Actions
* Easy Identification of Relax NG Pattern References
* Regexp-aware Content Completion Assistant in the Find/Replace Dialog

Extended API
* Set Title of Editor Tab
* Rename Element
* Get Current Context Data
* Filter Breadcrumb Nodes
* Persistent Options
* CustomProtocolPlugin has Access to Workspace
* Delete Nodes Actions Now Have a New Callback Method
* Access to New Resolver Methods
* Access to AuthorSchemaAwareEditingHandler
* Improved Editor State Change Listener

Component Updates:
* Updated Saxon 9 Processor
* Updated Calabash XProc Connector
* Updated DITA Open Toolkit
* Updated DocBook XSL Stylesheets
* Updated TEI Framework
* Updated XForms Schema

XMLmind DITA Converter v2.0

XMLmind DITA Converter (ditac) has now extensive support for the DITA 1.2 standard.

Ditac 2.0 has less limitations and less specificities than ditac 1.x. It is also more conforming to the DITA 1.2 standard than ditac 1.x was to the DITA 1.1 standard.

All in all, even if you do not intend to use any of the DITA 1.2 features in your documents, upgrading to ditac 2.0 is strongly recommended. And if you gave up the idea of using ditac 1.x because of its limitations and specificities, then may be you should give ditac 2.0 a try.

We plan to integrate XMLmind DITA Converter v2.0 in the following products: XMLmind XSL Utility, XMLmind XSL Server, and XMLmind XML Editor Professional Edition within a couple of weeks.
-----------------------------------------------

More info in http://www.xmlmind.com/ditac/changes.html

Please download XMLmind DITA Converter v2.0 from
http://www.xmlmind.com/ditac/download.shtml

-------------------------------
What is XMLmind DITA Converter?
-------------------------------

XMLmind DITA Converter (ditac for short) is an open source, industrial-strength, DITA processor. It is meant to be an alternative to the DITA Open Toolkit.

Ditac allows to convert the most complex DITA 1.0, 1.1 or 1.2 documents to production-quality XHTML 1.0, XHTML 1.1, HTML 4.1, Java[tm] Help, HTML Help, Eclipse Help, EPUB, PDF, PostScript®, RTF (can be opened in Word 2000+), WordprocessingML (can be opened in Word 2003+), Office Open XML (.docx, can be opened in Word 2007+), OpenOffice (.odt, can be opened in OpenOffice.org 2+).

Essential Tools of an XML Workflow

Here is an informative webcast from O'Reilly about the requirements for implementing an XML publishing workflow. Many of the issues that Laura Dawson addresses are similar to my own views and experiences of XML editing.
http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/01/webcast-video-essential-tools.html

Case Study - eVisioner Uses the MissionKit for Web-based Governance Solution

News release from Altova:

Altova customer eVisioner used components from the Altova MissionKit, including XMLSpy, StyleVision, UModel, and DiffDog, to build a Web-based governance solution from the ground up.

After creating a prototype of the MetaTeam product, a unique XML-based collaboration environment aimed to raise project team performance and lower costs, eVisioner realized that creating a consistent user interface for such a large program under active development would require either constant attention or an inflexible development process, and possibly both. In addition, the developers needed a way to integrate documentation, import and export data, and allow customers to generate customized reports. Together, all of these concerns suggested the implementation of an XML architecture.
In keeping with the principles defined by the naked objects pattern, eVisioner planned to automatically generate the MetaTeam user interface from its domain model and an abstract application description in XML. The eVisioner team found that the XML development tools and other components included in the Altova MissionKit were a perfect fit to model, build, and test the MetaTeam team governance application.
To read this case study in its entirety, complete with screenshots, please visit: http://www.altova.com/nl/1010/cust_evisioner.html
To access the tools used in this case study, along with all the components available in the Altova MissionKit, download a 30-day trial here: http://www.altova.com/nl/1010/download.html

Comparing XML Schemas with DiffDog

News release from Altova:

XML developers frequently need to modify and enhance XML Schemas as XML-based applications are created. Similarly, users of industry-standard XML-based data exchange systems need to update XML file formats to maintain compatibility with evolving standards. To assist with these common requirements, the Altova DiffDog diff/merge tool includes powerful functionality for comparing XML Schemas.

The XML Schema Differencing feature graphically displays two XML Schemas side by side, identifies identical elements automatically, and lets users map differences and generate XSL transformations to update XML data files.

To read this Tech Note in its entirety, including an example scenario for this new feature, visit: http://www.altova.com/nl/1010/technote20.html.

For more Tech Notes and Technical Briefs featuring tools from the Altova MissionKit visit the Altova Library page: http://www.altova.com/nl/1010/library.html

To learn more about DiffDog and its powerful functionality for comparing XML schemas, merging text or source code files, synchronizing directories, and its advanced XML-aware differencing and editing capabilities, download a 30-day trial here: http://www.altova.com/nl/1010/download.html