Re: SGML CONVERSION TBL HELP NEEDED!

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 07:56 AM 3/27/00 -0600, Margaret Gainsley wrote:
>Has anyone mastered conversion tables to structure unstructured documents to
>structured FrameMaker+SGML ?
===============================================================
1. You're only going to have success if the unstructured docs are VERY
consistently tagged.

2. Often, it isn't feasible to directly convert in a single step to the
actual DTD/EDD you intend to use. Instead, build a "conversion" EDD that
simplifies the mapping of tags to elements, and construct the conversion
tables for that EDD. After executing the converion, import the "conversion"
EDD, and validate according to that "conversion" EDD. Then, later, you
import the "real" EDD, and continue to massage the document until it becomes
valid.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>First question:
>Can you define the highest valid element in the conversion table?
>
>Second question:
>Can you get your wrap  your elements in the structure without continually
>repeating your higher elements over and over?
==================================================================
These two questions are related. Often, it's not possible to construct a
conversion table that will produce one and only one instance of the
top-level element.

The simplest way out of this dilemma is to initially ignore any top-level
element wrapping in the conversion table. If I recall correctly, this will
result in the production of a red top-level element named NoName. In your
"conversion" EDD, define a top-level element with a general rule of ALL.
Now, when you import the "conversion" EDD into the converted doc, the
top-level element will appear in the element catalog with a checkmark when
you select the NoName element. Simply change NoName to the top-level element
name in the element catalog. 
>
>Third question:
>Any tricks like using my EDD logic and plugging it into the conversion tbl?
>
==================================================================
There is no magic. A large amount of manual fix-up is almost inevitable. If
you've designed your "conversion" EDD so that it is (more or less) a
simplified version of the "real" EDD, you can do most of the manual work
after importing the "conversion" EDD. Then, you import the "real" EDD and
continue fixing things until the document is valid. Using the Element >
Validate feature in conjunction with the structure view is the most
efficient method of finding and fixing anomalies. Also, the Find/Replace
capability allows you to globally change element names, as well as sticking
in attribute values.
     ====================
     | Nullius in Verba |
     ====================
Dan Emory, Dan Emory & Associates
FrameMaker/FrameMaker+SGML Document Design & Database Publishing
Voice/Fax: 949-722-8971 E-Mail: danemory@primenet.com
10044 Adams Ave. #208, Huntington Beach, CA 92646
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