XML in FrameMaker 8 & InDesign CS3

[Max Dunn]

I have worked with both extensively... FrameMaker offers true XML
authoring capability. Don't be deceived by a structure view: InDesign is
taking steps towards being an XML formatting engine, but really isn't
there in terms of authoring. The "map styles to tags" feature, for
example, is extremely crude compared to an EDD. The "XML Rules" feature
with CS3 definitely extends the XML formatting possibilities
considerably (letting you conditionally format or automate based on
XPath context), but this requires coding and it still makes InDesign
more of a formatting engine for XML than an XML authoring environment.
Plenty of headaches with whitespace and other issues if you really try
to author in it.

There are several use cases where the InDesign XML support makes sense,
for example passing in variable data on the "mail merge" level of
complexity, but complex structures like DocBook or DITA remain the
domain of FrameMaker. 

Max Dunn
Silicon Publishing
www.siliconpublishing.com

-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces+maxdunn=siliconpublishing.com at lists.frameusers.com
[mailto:framers-bounces+maxdunn=siliconpublishing.com at lists.frameusers.c
om] On Behalf Of John Sgammato
Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 8:18 AM
To: Frame Users
Cc: stclwrsig-l at mailman.stc.org
Subject: XML in FrameMaker 8 & InDesign CS3

I am exploring the process of getting my docs structured with the new
FrameMaker 8. The process does seem to be improved and the documentation
is much, much improved. 
But last night I was reading the InDesign CS3 info on XML (buried deep
in the back of the InDesign manual) and found it to be an excellent
intro for the beginner. And the structure view for InDesign looks quite
familiar... 
I am considering playing around with InDesign's structure interface
first, to familiarize myself with all the principles and parts, and then
advance to FrameMaker. I need to use both eventually because I want to
reuse some of the information in my FM manuals in installation posters
created in InDesign. Does anyone have experience working with FM8 and
InDesign CS3 together? Do you know of landmines and concealed pit traps?

John Sgammato
Principal Technical Writer
Imprivata, Inc.
[v] (781) 674-2441

www.imprivata.com

"OneSign is single sign-on for the rest of us, with an innovative
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