Re: FM to FM+SGML

[lsmalley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Lester C. Smalley)]

Dan Emory <danemory@primenet.com> wrote (in part):

| 7. Since there is no way for structure rules tables to specify attribute
|    values, the structure will be invalid until required attributes are given
|    values. For attributes that are not required, the EDD should specify a
|    default value wherever possible, particularly if there are
|    attribute-value-dependent format rules in the EDD.  You can use
|    Find/Replace to find all occurrences of a particular attribute, and
|    (optionally) apply a single value to all such occurrences.

I'm sorry Dan, but it is possible for the Structure Rules Table to provide
attribute values.  In general, I agree with you that it is not a complete
solution, however I feel this must be clarified, as it can be done and may
eliminate a great deal _but not all_ of touch-up work later.  It also does
not provide for 'context sensitive' attribute setting in general but can
make a big leap forward toward that goal.

Some items can have their attributes set directly, but it is also necessary
to wait a bit, as it depends on exaclty where in the structure attributes
are defined.  That is, it is likely that character tags can select the
atribute value right away, but paragraph tags may have to wait for a later
'wrapping' before the attribute is allowed.  Of course this is HIGHLY
dependent on the specific DTD/EDD.

One of the key concepts available in the table is a "qualifier" or to put
it into my own words, a 'context label'.  When the structure process finds
element X where element can be any of the allowable items in the first
column of the table (paragraph tag, character tag, table format tag, ...)
the table can 'wrap' it into SGML element Y with optional qualifier Z.

This qualifier can then be used to specify an attibute value for subsequent
layers of structure. Below is a simplified example of a structure mapping
table that sets attributes:

Wrap this    In this              With this
ITEM         ELEMENT              QUALIFIER  COMMENT
--------     --------             --------   --------
P:bulleted   item                 B          bullet paras -> list items
P:numbered   item                 N          numbered paras -> list items
P:numbered1  item                 N          numbered1 paras -> list items

item[B]+     List[Type="bullet"]             'B' items -> list w/Type=bullet
item[N]+     List[Type="number"]             'N' items -> list w/Type=number

C:italic     Emph[Style="i"]                 character tags -> Emphasis
C:emphasis   Emph[Style="bi"]                and set the style attribute
C:bold       Emph[Style="b"]                 so EDD rules will format it


I hope this  example help clear up some of the confusion.

- Lester
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  Lester C. Smalley                   | email:  LSmalley@Infocon.com
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