Tutorial: Enterprise content management using Word Processors

2005-05-19

I will be giving a tutorial at the Open Publish conference in Sydney, July 27, 2005.

If this looks good to you then sign up.

Enterprise content management using Word Processors

Presenter: Peter Sefton

This tutorial presents techniques for working with XML using word processing applications, particularly Microsoft Word and OpenOffice.org Writer, but with some reference to Adobe FrameMaker and other applications.

Following a general survey of formats and techniques the tutorial looks in detail at a common use-case where organizations want single-source documents to generate both print and web output. We show how to avoid the use of custom schemas and expensive customization, but still reap the benefits of XML: having your content in non-proprietary formats, being able to create, re-format, re-purpose and re-use content cheaply, into the future.

You will learn:

• When to consider using a word processor in an XML project and why
• The basics of the XML formats and capabilities offered by Word processors
• Why word processors' built in HTML export is never adequate
• How to set your expectations, including some lessons from the past that you do not want to repeat
• How to use word processor features such as styles, master documents, autotext and tables in a way that will give you good quality XML output, and what to avoid
• How to produce both PDF and HTML output from a single source document using OpenOffice.org and/or Word
• How to obtain and adapt open-source templates and software
• How to source technical assistance to implement a full system

Prerequisite: Some familiarity with word processing software is essential.

The tutorial will cover some technical topics to help implementers get started and to give managers an appreciation of the issues involved.