Hi! Just want share that our process is very similar to the one Kevin describes. We use XXE for Docbook authoring, with version control and doc building integrated with SW development.
Best regards, Magnus > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:xmleditor-support- > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Hussein Shafie > Sent: den 20 oktober 2010 09:59 > To: Kevin Flynn > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [XXE] understanding XMLMind products > > Kevin Flynn wrote: > > There's another reason why integration of XmlMind with SW versioning > > systems would be a good idea: > > > > Storing SW documentation in the same versioning system as the SW > being > > documented enables very tight integration of the SW and documentation > > build process. I have been documenting SW in this way (using XmlMind) > > for the last 8 years, in two different companies, and find it hard to > > imagine working any other way. > > > > Basically, the documentation staff are able to "piggyback" on the SW > > team's versioning mechanisms, and rarely have to think about it. > > Similarly, we don't have to think about documentation production: the > > documentation is built when the SW is built, and automatically > packaged > > with it. The documentation build process (driven, in our case either > by > > ant or by xproc+maven) has direct access to lots of information in > > source files, XML schemas, configuration files, GUI definition files > and > > so on, and can therefore easily integrate auto-generated > documentation > > with hand-written documentation. Version numbers are just a parameter > in > > from the build process and can never be wrong. References to GUI > labels > > can be references to the actual label definitions in some (probably > XML) > > configuration file, so they also can't be wrong (a mismatch stops the > > build). > > > > The result (after the initial effort) is less work to do and a lot of > > built-in quality control. > > I understand. This is an quite advanced way of working. Impressive. > > > > > > > I have absolutely no idea how many SW documentation teams work this > way, > > but I can't believe the two that I have worked in over the last 8 > years > > are the only ones. Integration of XmlMind with Perforce (in my case) > > would be nice, and worth an upgrade. > > > > Thank you for this feedback. It's much appreciated. > > However we have not chosen to do it this way. Our vision for all our > products is: do not try to resemble programmer's tool (IDEs, revision > control systems, build tools, etc), instead try to resemble Wikis. Now > we may be wrong, in which case, we'll go out of business. > > > > > > Kevin Flynn > > Vizrt > > Oslo, Norway > > > > > > On 10/19/2010 09:45 PM, Hussein Shafie wrote: > >> On 10/19/2010 08:30 PM, David Priest wrote: > >> > >>> [blink] > >>> > >>> I think revisioning tools are *essential* for technical writers. > Anyone > >>> who isn't using a revisioning tool is absolutely foolish, in my > opinion. > >>> > >>> Obviously, your opinion differs. > >>> > >>> It may be most wise to survey the domain, to find out whether your > >>> assumption is correct. I simply can't imagine trying to manage a > large > >>> and complicated writing project without some sort of ability to > claw > >>> back changes and mistakes. > >>> > >> We agree that's why we have developed XMLmind Document Repository. > >> > >> --- > >> XMLmind Document Repository > >> > >> Just enough versioning for the technical writer > >> > >> XMLmind Document Repository is a web-based document store featuring > >> automatic, transparent, versioning. It is a compromise between the > >> simplicity of a shared folder and the power of a revision control > system > >> (CVS, Subversion, etc). This compromise between simplicity and power > >> aims to be well-adapted to the needs of the technical writer. > >> --- > >> > >> See http://www.xmlmind.com/docrep/ > >> > >> > >> > >> > >>> Hussein Shafie wrote: > >>> > >>>> we think that these programmers tools are > >>>> overkill, much too complicated to use for technical writers. > >>>> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> XMLmind XML Editor Support List > >> [email protected] > >> http://www.xmlmind.com/mailman/listinfo/xmleditor-support > >> > >> > > > > > > -- > > XMLmind XML Editor Support List > > [email protected] > > http://www.xmlmind.com/mailman/listinfo/xmleditor-support > > > > > > > > > -- > XMLmind XML Editor Support List > [email protected] > http://www.xmlmind.com/mailman/listinfo/xmleditor-support -- XMLmind XML Editor Support List [email protected] http://www.xmlmind.com/mailman/listinfo/xmleditor-support
