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In the not-so-distant past, setting up SGML document systems involved a number of challenges. Foremost was a basic shortage of tools from which to choose. Compounding this problem was the fact that many of the available tools were quite costly to implement. This cost included both the initial purchase and the necessary system setup.
One reason why initial purchase costs were high was that many SGML authoring systems were based upon high-end publishing systems, often running on relatively expensive UNIX host computers. For the organization considering the move to SGML, an added significant cost was often that of training staff to use an entirely new authoring system—possibly on a new type of computer.
This chapter examines some of the best PC-based tools. The examination will include a look at the following:
The events of the last year have dramatically changed the picture for the individual or organization wanting to implement an SGML system. With the introduction of a powerful new set of inexpensive PC-based tools, the costs involved with implementing SGML in an organization have dropped dramatically. With a modest investment in time and money, you can now try out SGML. If you have been hampered by the limitations of HTML on the World Wide Web, you can upgrade to SGML.
Further brightening this picture is a key aspect of many of the new authoring tools. They are constructed as add-ons to standard Windows-based word processors. If your organization uses WordPerfect, for example, there is an SGML package for you.
Table 26.1 describes the software packages that are discussed.
| Name | Type | Vendor | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPerfect SGML Edition | SGML authoring | WordPerfect/Novell | SGML authoring package compatible with WordPerfect |
| Near & Far Author | SGML authoring | Microstar | SGML authoring package compatible with Word |
| SGML Author | SGML authoring | Microsoft | SGML authoring package compatible with Word |
| Panorama Pro | SGML viewer and browser | SoftQuad | SGML browser for local and Internet and World Wide Web documents |
| Near & Far | DTD design tool | Microstar | Graphical document modeler and DTD creation, documentation, and maintenance tool |
The authoring tools are based on two standard Windows word processing packages—WordPerfect and Microsoft Word. Each program adds SGML capabilities to the word processing program. Learning the SGML authoring environment with these packages is much less difficult than it would be with an SGML-only package.
This new SGML authoring tool from WordPerfect is built into the standard word processing package, version 6.1 of WordPerfect (and later versions) for Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. It includes full support for structured authoring with user-supplied DTDs. The interactive output specification designer enables you to generate specific output formatting based on the attribute values of specific elements.
Features. WordPerfect SGML Edition differs from its competitors in that the SGML features are integrated into the standard version of WordPerfect. The program is organized so that you can run either the standard version of WordPerfect or the SGML version. After installation, icons in the program group are available for the applications shown in table 26.2. They include programs to compile DTDs into the WordPerfect binary format, a program for designing output specifications, the SGML authoring version of WordPerfect, and other support programs.
| Module | Description |
|---|---|
| DTD to LGC | Compiles DTDs to WordPerfect logic file format |
| Layout Designer | Output specification interactive design program |
| WordPerfect SGML Edition | Word processing application with SGML functions |
| WordPerfect | Standard word processing application |
| Learning SGML | SGML and program tutorial documentation in Envoy document format |
| SGML Setup | WordPerfect SGML Edition installation program |
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