Re: Frame + SGML questions

[Dan Emory <danemory@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 08:38 AM 8/4/00 -0400, McGuire, Brenda A wrote:
>I need to once again tap the wisdom of Framers who deal in SGML. We are
>still working with a client to hammer out the fine points on a project. One
>issue surrounds the software we'll use for the project; the client had
>specified Frame + SGML, but we're trying to determine what our argument can
>be to use *regular* Frame  instead of the SGML version.
>
>Here's our profile: We have Frame users, but none of us has used the SGML
>version.  Being the novice users, are we setting ourselves up for problems
>that we wouldn't have if we stayed with the *regular* version? What kinds of
>things could be cited as cost savings to the client if we opt not to use the
>SGML version? (You know the drill.) We just need some ammo.
================================================
There can be only one valid reason your client specified FM+SGML,
and that is that they want structured documents that conform to some
SGML DTD (document type definition).

You must ask the client the following questions:

Q1. Has the client developed an FM+SGML EDD (element definition document)
that has all required format rules for all elements?

Q2. Is the client going to provide the DTD?

Q3. If the answers to Q1 is No, is the client going to provide
an FM+SGML template file into which the element definitions from
an EDD have been imported?

Q4. If the answer to Q3 is Yes, is the provided template completely set
up to produce structured documents having the formatting and page
layouts desired by the client?

Q5. Does the client want you to deliver structured FM+SGML documents?

Q6 If the answer to Q5 is No, then the client wants you to deliver SGML
document instances. In that case, is the client going to provide you
with a complete SGML import/export application, including the DTD?

Q7. If the answers to Q3, and Q4 are Yes, is the client going to provide
your authors with training in the use of FM+SGML with the provided template?

Q8. If the answer to Q6 is Yes, is the client going to provide
someone in your organization with training in using the SGML import/export
application to import and export SGML document instances?

Now, here is the translation of the answers to those questions into
the cost and impact on your organization:

A:Q1-N, Q2-N, Q3-N,Q5-N,Q6-N = The impact is huge. The client expects you to
do all the content modeling required to create the DTD and EDD, do all the
format design work required to develop the format rules in the EDD, and
do further design work to create the template that contains the element
definitions from the EDD. In addition, the client expects you to develop an
SGML import/export application in FM+SGML that is capable of
flawlessly exporting FM+SGML documents to SGML.. You will also
be saddled with all the training required to accomplish those tasks.
The cost depends on how many document types there are, and
how complex the structure of those documents is. I'd estimate
the cost range to be between 1.5 and 4 man-years, which would include
extensive formal training for those who must do the EDD/DTD development work,
the template design, and the development of the SGML import/export
application. Those people would then be responsible for training authors
and other personnel.

B. Q1-N, Q2-Y Q5-N = The client is only providing you with the DTD.
The impact here is huge also. In fact, it is likely to be larger than A
above, because there are usually problems in developing an EDD and
and an import/export application when a DTD is imposed
on you. You must create an EDD that conforms to
the DTD, do all the format design work required to develop the format rules
in the EDD, and do further design work to create the template that contains
the element definitions from the EDD. In addition, the client expects you
to develop an SGML import/export application in FM+SGML that is capable of
flawlessly exporting FM+SGML documents to SGML. To accomplish this, you'll
probably have to use the FM+SGML Developer's Kit to develop some APIs
that are needed to properly import and export SGML document instances
that conform to the DTD. You will also be saddled with all the training 
required
to accomplish those tasks. The cost depends on how many document types
there are, and how complex the structure of those documents is. I'd estimate
the cost range to be between 1.5 and 4 man-years, which would include
extensive formal training for those who must do the EDD/DTD development work,
the template design, and the development of the SGML import/export
application. Those people would then be responsible for training authors
and other personnel.

C: Q1-N, Q2-N, Q3-Y, Q4-Y, Q5-Y, Q7-Y = The deliverables are FM+SGML
structured documents created using the client-provided template, so you
do not need an SGML import/export application. This will have
the minimum impact on your operation. The client is doing all the heavy 
lifting.
Assuming your authors are familiar with FrameMaker, the added time required
for your authors to get up to speed using FM+SGML after training
will be more than offset by improvements in productivity. One caveat,
however, If the client is using the DocBook DTD/EDD, then there may be
problems, because it is very unfriendly unless the element set has been
substantially trimmed. Also, the MIL-M-38784 DTD is problematic.

D. Same as C, except you must provide the formal training for your authors.
You should definitely get a trainer who is fully qualified in using FM+SGML,
and have the trainer adapt the curriculum to include training in the
client-provided template, so that your authors can become familiar with the
actual structure they'll be using.

E. Q1-Y, Q2-N, Q3-Y, Q4-Y, Q5-N, Q6-Y, Q7-Y, Q8-Y =  Same as C, except
a little more work is needed to use the client-provided SGML Import/Export
application to produce the SGML deliverables. The client is providing the
training for authors, as well the training for those using the client-provided
import/export application

F. Same as E, except you must provide the formal training for your authors,
and for the people who use the client-provided import/export application.

G. Q1-Y, Q2-N, Q3-Y, Q4-Y, Q5-N, Q6-N, Q7-Y = Same as C, except the
client expects you to develop the SGML import/export application. This is
a nasty one, because the person doing the development must become
thoroughly familiar with the client-provided DTD and EDD. To accomplish 
this, you'll
probably have to use the FM+SGML Developer's Kit to develop some APIs
that are needed to properly import and export SGML document instances
that conform to the DTD/EDD. Expect this to be an iterative process, using
many test cases to find and correct problems in SGML round-tripping.

H. Q1-Y, Q2-Y, Q3-N, Q4-N, Q5-N, Q6-Y, Q7-N = The client is providing only 
the EDD
and the SGML import/export application. You must import the element definitions
from the EDD into template(s), and do all the design work required to properly
format the documents. This is a nasty one, because, when you import the
element definitions from the EDD into a new template, the EDD fills up the
paragraph, character, cross-reference, and table catalogs with tags specified
in the format rules of the EDD. However, these new tags are all plain-vanilla.
In order to do the job right, the template designer must thoroughly familiarize
him/her self with the EDD's format rules. In many cases, these format rules
specify the use of the same paragraph or character tag in many
different contexts, where each context may modify some of the formatting
parameters of the paragraph or character format in the template. Consequently,
the formatting of such a tag in the template must not conflict with the 
variations
in formatting for that tag which are defined in the EDD's format rules.
You must have a copy of the client-provided EDD to do this.

I. Q1-Y, Q2-Y, Q3-Y, Q4-N, Q5-N, Q6-Y, Q7-N = Same as H. The client is 
providing a
template that contains the element definitions from an EDD, but no work has
been done in the template itself to format all the plain-vanilla tags that were
added to the template when the element definitions were imported into it.
The only difference between H and I is the time (a couple of minutes at most)
it takes to import element definitions from an EDD into a new template.
You must have a copy of the client-provided EDD to do this.



====================
| 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
---Subscribe to the "Free Framers" list by sending a message to
majordomo@omsys.com with "subscribe framers" (no quotes) in the body.



** To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@omsys.com **
** with "unsubscribe framers" (no quotes) in the body.   **