Schema Tools

[Daniel Emory]

--- Jon Harvey <JHarvey at cambridgesoft.com> wrote:
> We would like to begin developing in structured
> framemaker. My understanding is that to do so, we
> need to bring in schema that FM can use to help us
> structure our docs. Can anyone recommend some solid
> tools for creating schema? It's either that or 
> write the markup by hand,
> something I'd rather not do.
===================================
"Schema" is a database term. A schema describes the
detailed structure of a particular database design. If
your intent is to export data from structured
FrameMaker into such an existing database, your EDD
must replicate the schema of your database. 

If that's not your goal, and instead you are simply
trying to create structured documents, then you may be
able to ignore some of the rigors of a pre-defined
schema in developing your structured application.
Other external constraints/requirements, however, may
impose schema-like requirements that affect the design
of your EDD. It's even conceivable that the EDD you
develop, when it is converted to a DTD/schema, could
be used to define the schema for a new database in
which you intend to store Framemaker documents broken
up into their constituent structured components.

Be aware that implementing a true database schema
imposes certain constraints on EDD developement. For
instance, the use of inclusions in the structure rules
of an EDD makes documents created in accordance with
an EDD incompatible with export to XML or storage in a
database. Also, true schemas can impose more rigorous
requirements on the permissable values of attributes.