Re: XML cookbook questions

[Peter Gold <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dan:

You may recall that we met in a week-long FrameMaker+SGML training class at
Adobe's HQ, around 1994. Lester Smalley was also in that class. Frame
Technology's training materials were the backbone of those classes. That
training class, taught by Nancy Schroer, was so great, that, when the
earthquake shook the building, none of the books fell off the desks, and no
concepts were damaged<G>.

I still use these books to teach FrameMaker+SGML Authoring and Defining
Structured EDD classes. The full set of materials covers
importing/exporting, developing API clients, and more. Unfortunately, these
materials are copyrighted. So, you are correct in pointing out the limited
availability of good training materials outside of paid training.

Thomas raises some questions of accuracy and sense in the Cookbook. There
are some errors in the material that causes examples to fail. Searching the
FrameUser, User-to-User form, and free-framers archives, as well as the
Adobe KnowledgeBase should provide the specific errors and fixes.

I agree fully with the criticism of the uninformative "do-this-do-that-next"
sections in the Cookbook. Anybody can copy what's on the page and obey the
"do-this" directions, but, unlike the hands-on experiential learning of art
students who copy classic works line-for-line, and
brushstroke-by-brushstroke, there's nothing to be learned about XML and
structure by reproducing keystrokes. Dan correctly points to the Developer's
Guide for substance.

Thomas, I would add to Dan's suggestion of jumping in, to examine the
Docbook and Xdocbook EDDs, in conjunction with the Developer's Guide, to see
real rules in a real and comprehensive application. Also, look at the
Docbook Starter Kit PDF document in the OnlineManuals directory of the FM
distribution.

Of course, continue to post questions on the lists and you'll find help
coming back to you in the same way you've generously provided help to others
over the years.

Regards,

Peter Gold  Trainer, Adobe Certified Expert
KnowHow ProServices   http://www.knowhowpro.com
Phone: 612.823.7113
_______________________________________________
FrameMaker, FrameMaker+SGML, Acrobat, InDesign
WebWorks Publisher Certified
Distance training and coaching information at
http://www.knowhowpro.com/schedule_of_classes.htm


On 8/4/03 9:39 AM, "DW Emory" <danemory@globalcrossing.net> wrote:

> At 02:30 PM 8/4/03 +0200, Thomas Michanek wrote:
>> Any comments?
> 
> Further evidence that the rate of entropy in Adobe's Tech Pubs group is
> accelerating.
> 
> One wonders what the purpose of the "cookbook" was. Here are a two
> possibilities.
> 
> 1. A feeble effort whose purpose was to serve as a substitute for
> improvements in the Developer's Guide.
> 
> 2. To convince twinkies that, after going through the cookbook procedures,
> they know everything they need to know about structured design and EDDs and
> XML import/export.
> 
> As it stands now, there's only one way to learn about proper structured
> design criteria and EDDs and read/write rules and appdefs and templates,
> and that's to jump into the Developer's Guide with both feed and struggle
> through it, then create structured apps, and learn from your own mistakes.
> I have preserved the first structured App I created (in FrameBuilder, back
> around 1994) to remind myself of how far my thinking about structured
> design and usability, and making life easier for authors has evolved.


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