[Refdb-users] Using xsl customisation layer with refdb

[David N. <dav...@bi...>]

After some help from Markus I have managed to implement an xsl 
customisation layer with refdb.

Here's how in case there are any other newbies wondering.

I use DocBook XML on a Debian Sarge/testing box.


First, the theory:

Usually, at configure time the --with-docbook-xsl option is set to point 
at the root directory of the original ("Norman Walsh") docbook 
stylesheets.  On my box that is: 
/usr/share/sgml/docbook/stylesheet/xsl/nwalsh.

The refdb install sets the refdb stylesheets to import those original 
docbook stylesheets.

So, when you create a document and type in "make html|pdf|whatever", the 
makefile creates a stylesheet in the document directory --> it calls the 
refdb stylesheets --> which call the original docbook stylesheets.

What we are going to do is create an extra link in that chain: the 
makefile will create a stylesheet in the document directory --> it  
calls the refdb stylesheets --> which call our customisation layer 
stylesheets --> which call the original docbook stylesheets.


Now, the practice:

The first thing to do is create the customisation layer.  You must 
create the following directory/file structure in a directory of your choice:

     BASE_DIR/fo
     BASE_DIR/fo/docbook.xsl
     BASE_DIR/html
     BASE_DIR/html/docbook.xsl
     BASE_DIR/xhtml
     BASE_DIR/xhtml/docbook.xsl

Each docbook.xsl file must include an appropriate import statement 
importing the matching original docbook stylesheet.

Here is my fo/docbook.xsl file:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<!--
FO customisation layer for refdb stylesheets

First imports original DocBook stylesheets

Finally imports my custom stylesheets
-->

<xsl:stylesheet
  xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform" version="1.0"
  xmlns:fo="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Format">

    <!-- the original docbook stylesheets for FO -->
    <xsl:import 
href="/usr/share/sgml/docbook/stylesheet/xsl/nwalsh/fo/docbook.xsl"/>

    <!-- my customisation layer -->
    <xsl:import 
href="/home/david/data/conf/xsl/custom-layer/fo-custom.xsl"/>

</xsl:stylesheet>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You must include a file called VERSION in the base directory of your 
customisation layer.  It is to keep the configure test happy.  The file 
can be empty.  I created mine using the command: touch VERSION.

Now you are ready to install (or re-install) refdb with the proper 
configuration.  At the ./configure step you must use the 
--with-docbook-xsl option and specify the full path to your 
customisation layer base directory.

On my box, that option looked like:
--with-docbook-xsl=/home/david/data/conf/refdb/xsl

Hope that helps,
David.