XML files, DITA and the Open Toolkit

[todd_acl]

Hi,

I've seen a few threads here that offer only a dearth of information about managing XML files and setting up the Alfresco environment for using DITA.  All the online Alfresco demonstrations center around MS-Office files, which we do not use.

Am I missing something here?  I mean, XML & DITA appear to be on their way to becoming the de facto standard data type for serious documentation (heck even MS is trying to claw its way in to the XML file format market space).  I would've thought that the Alfresco team would be all over XML with gusto–number one priority, leave .doc in the dustbin of history, that sort of thing.

Can we use Alfresco for our preferred doc production environment, storing/managing DITA-based XML files & producing aggregate docs using the Ant-driven Open Toolkit?


Thanks for all insights.

[todd_acl]

I appreciate the enlightening lack of response.  Apparently we require a different solution for our DITA-based publications.  Perhaps during Phase III of our initiative, in which we plan to expand content management to the entire enterprise, we will revisit Alfresco's potential.

With that in mind, here's another question: What kinds of standard protocols/frameworks would we need to consider for our DITA-DMS to make it interoperate with an ECM environment that centers around Alfresco?

Keep up the good work.

[rhowlett]

I have been experimenting with DITA Storm, a DITA-aware XML editor that works inside the browser. I am trying to integrate it with Alfresco - it works with many other CMSs, so getting it to work with Alfresco shouldn't be a big deal.

The DITA Open Toolkit uses the same underlying technologies as Alfresco (such as Ant) and it should not be too much of a challenge to publish DITA maps.

I am also surprised in the lack of enthusiasm for DITA in the Alfresco community. Content reuse requires a topic-oriented approach, not a document-centric one.

[paulhh]

Hi Todd

We certainly are very interested in XML processing and to be honest, we've been waiting for the DITA "wave".  But it hasn't hit us yet.

Obviously, our repository and services can work with XML very happily.  There are XML metadata extractors that can populate content properties from the XML content.  The scripting and templating engines can manipulate XML.  We also have XSL and XSL-FO transformation hooks.

If you have a DITA editor, then it can work directly on content in the repository over CIFS/SMB, webDAV or FTP.

Tell us what you're looking for in more detail and we can try and respond.  If you're likely to want to take out a support contract, then there's more incentive for us to get people to help you (just reality, we have to pay our staff).

The .doc support is there because that's what a lot of people have asked for - basically, so they can use Alfresco instead of SharePoint.

Cheers
Paul.

[todd_acl]

Thanks very much for the responses, Paul and rhowlett.  I appreciate all the information I can gather about Alfresco.

I figured the DITA stuff was probably a matter of "Alfresco community members will get on that as soon as it's feasible."  It was a good call to provide support for .doc early, even if our own team doesn't use that particular format.  I'll be interested in seeing what Alfresco can do with MS-XML files.

I have tried Dita Storm and like what it offers.  We're hoping to use FrameMaker as our DITA/XML editor so we can continue to work on legacy unstructured documentation as well.  I really like Alfresco's CIFS support; that would make change management a lot easier as our authors move up the learning curve of structured production methodologies.

All in all, I'd recommend Alfresco in a heartbeat for enterprise content management (over Nuxeo as well).  It's just the specific, technical requirements that we have for XML/DITA/OpenToolKit/SCORM/translation/localization that is encouraging our team to evaluate products focused toward that kind of publishing environment (e.g. SiberSafe).

Because of our subjective distaste for GPL, we would probably want to pursue some kind of commercial licensing agreement if we decided to use Alfresco.  We're still in the early stages of our research.

Thanks again.  I'll be lurking & posting here as I narrow down the specifics of what we need for our ECM/DMS solution.


Todd

[paulhh]

Hi

I just heard from someone yesterday that they have been doing a number of things with DITA and Docbook formats, and plan to make it available as open source.  Not sure when this will happen, but could be reasonably soon.

Cheers
Paul.

[davidheijl]

Hi Todd,

I've also been in contact with an Alfresco Partner who will be releasing a solution for just what you're looking for. It's also what I'm looking for in my documentation team…
Basically, they've built an XML solution on top of Alfresco and it all sounds very interesting. As soon as I can give more details I'll post them…

David

[paulhh]

… that'll be the same person I was talking to then 😉

[todd_acl]

Thanks, guys, for the information.  I'll keep my eyes peeled for this interesting open source addition to Alfresco.

[snunez]

The timing on this was good. I too am looking for a XML authoring solution, one that hopefully includes DocBook.

I had a look around, but didn't see anything on the website. Has this been released yet? If not, does anyone have an ETA?

Cheers,
    - SteveN