[Firebird-docs] DocBook

[Andy C. <an...@ad...>]

> I will try to get some framework set up for us.  This all requires =
more
> experimentation, but it will probably be easier to convert plain text =
to
> xml than rtf to xml.  On the other hand, if we do get the framework on
> sourceforge, you could just write the stuff in xml and not worry about =
the
> conversion ( if you got emacs+psgml set up).  Is it easy to go rtf to =
plain
> text? Are there linux rtf editors?

As far as I know, rtf is a non-proprietary format. On the other hand, =
the detailed description I have is labelled "Microsoft Technical =
Support"; I hadn't noticed that.

If you open the RTF document under Windows (It can be read by Word or by =
WordPad which is bundled with Windows or with Word Viewer which is =
downloadable for free from Microsoft), then you can cut and paste into =
any editor that runs on Windows. But this would only preserve the =
attributes, and not provide structure ( section, subsection, heading, =
etc. ).

RTF is ASCII text with a bunch of formatting codes. Much like HTML, =
except that the codes look like "\par" instead of "<BR>". AFAIK, there =
is no equivalent to the HTML link capability. If you have an RTF file, =
read it with any ASCII text editor and you'll see the codes; you can =
then replace the RTF codes with HTML codes or, better yet, wait until =
we've got something like DocBook working and standardized and replace =
the RTF codes with the DocBook XML codes. I'm just cranking out =
(formatted) text right now.

Assuming we go ahead with DocBook, we need somebody to tell us what =
codes to put in at what spots. The XML has many different ways to do =
things. Presumably DocBook is one set of codes. But what do we have that =
is called <SECTION> ... </SECTION> and what do we have that is called =
<DIVISION> ... <DIVISION>, etc.? Someone should decide and tell the rest =
of us.

Of course, at that point, we will be two sets of writers; those who have =
DocBook up and running and those who do not. Any person can check out =
the source and edit the source file (which contains the DocBook codes), =
but only the first group will be able to see the results formatted =
before checking it back in. Once we've got the layout instructions, I =
will try to get DocBook working on my machine and personally convert =
Connections.rtf to the proper DocBook codes as a learning test case.