XML Cell shading

[aieiebrad]

Hallo at all,

it's possible to control the shading property of a cell via xml?

Example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

...

...

...

<table>

<tablebody>
<tablerow>
  <tablecell shading=??background color??>A</tablecell>
  <tablecell>B</tablecell>
  <tablecell>C</tablecell>
</tablerow>
</tablebody>

</table>

...

...

...

Thanks

[Michael_Müller-Hillebrand]

aieiebrad,

You just met a limitation of the EDD formatting capabilities. To solve that wish, some programming is required. I use this approach (done with FrameScript, but could also be done with a C-Plug-in):

* a structure client which sets the shading accordingly when an XML file is opened with FrameMaker

* an event listener, that sets the shading if the attribute is changed by the user through the user interface

When installed, the behavior requires no action by the user, it is as if FrameMaker could do this trick on its own.

Better control of table properties is on the wish list for an improved EDD for a long time.

- Michael

[babelgone]

any update on this *oversight*?

i dont know anything about FrameScript. here's what I need to do:

1) from a corporate XML database publish DITA-XML to the "FrameMaker-compatible" format. (DONE!)

2) develop a structured application to let users open the XML, save-as FM document, and use within unstructured books (DONE!)

problem is, the shading information (indicated with '"@outputclass="shaded"' on a row or table) does not translate to a FM element or processing instruction or formatting instruction.

we also must support @otherprops="rotate", but that is less critical at this time because it is obvious when a table needs rotating. it is not so obvious when a cell should be shaded.

-seth