XML template

[Guest]

I have a client requesting that we create an "XML template" in Frame Maker. They state that they will give us an XML template for one section of the manual for us to create "the rest of the templates". We have done Structured Frame documents with supplied EDD (DTD) files, but have not done any XML authoring.

Question:

1)  Are there  "XML templates"? Or do you think they are confusing this with the EDD (DTD) files?

2)  Would there not be only one file, whether it be an "XML template" or a  EDD (DTD) file?

My guess is that they are confusing "XML template" with the EDD (DTD) file (unless someone tells me different), and that they have a EDD for another manual that they want expanded for this new manual they want created. But I thought I better ask in case I was confused.

[ScottPrentice]

The term "XML template" isn't a common one as far as I know, but there is a difference between what's needed for structured authoring in FM binary files vs. what you need to edit XML files in FrameMaker. When you're working on structured FM binary files, the EDD is embedded within the document you're working on. You'd likely maintain that EDD as a separate file, then import it into a document or template to update the structure and context rules for the model.

When you're working with XML files in FM, you still need that EDD, but the EDD is imported into a template file, and that template file is referenced by a "structure application definition" (which is defined in the structure application definitions file). The structure application definition also references other files and properties. It references the DTD (from which the EDD was likely created), and it references a file called read/write rules. It can also reference XSLT files that are applied on import and/or export, and it will typically list one or more doctypes (root elements in the XML model).

Once the structure application is set up and defined, it'll be used when you open an XML file that matches the model defined by the structure app. This is a bit of an oversimplification, but you'll get the idea.

I wrote this blog article a couple years ago that might help ..

     http://blog.leximation.com/2012/01/framemaker-edd-template-rules-–-what-is-all-that-and-how-does-it-...

Here's the official documentation on the subject ..

     http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FrameMaker/12.0/StructuredDev/Structure_Dev_Reference.pdf

     http://help.adobe.com/en_US/FrameMaker/12.0/StructuredDev/Structure_Dev_Guide.pdf

Good luck!

...scott

[Guest]

Yes you need to create a Structure application. The Structure application Developers guide is a good read and will help you a lot. The application defines all the files required to export the framemaker files to xml. It will contain the DTD location that the XML will validate against, Read/write rules location and the template file so when importing XML it will have something to save into. It will also contain the HLE for the application.

The documentation from Adobe is definately the place to start.