CUSTOMER Adobe® FrameMaker®+SGML SPOTLIGHT ®

Microsoft Press

Publisher speeds creation of and interactive training aids with FrameMaker+SGML 6.0 and XML

Reusing content is the name of the game in pub- the Readiness Review CD, Press PROFILE • Publisher of retail books lishing. The faster and more accurately a publisher imports elements, identified by XML tags, supporting Microsoft products can generate new titles, the lower the costs and into a proprietary assessment engine that • Revenue for fiscal year 2001: $25 billion the higher the quality. Consider Microsoft Press, mimics the actual MCSE test. “This is much • Headquarters: Redmond, the publisher of retail books such as Word: Step faster than re-entering book information or Washington • www.mspress.microsoft.com by Step, PowerPoint: Step by Step, and Readiness having to painstakingly cut and paste,” Gardner BENEFITS SUMMARY Review books for people preparing for Microsoft says. “Because the process is so fast, we can also • On-the-fly content validation in Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) exams. To wait until the book content is finalized before FrameMaker+SGML instantly informs desktop publishers if speed publishing and produce the highest quality we create the assessment engine.” content elements are out of place books and interactive training aids possible, and suggests allowed elements. Microsoft Press also uses the XML-tagged • XML support in FrameMaker+SGML Microsoft Press uses Adobe FrameMaker+SGML content to speed the creation of in the enables Microsoft Press to reuse 6.0 software and the eXtensible Markup Lan- content authored for one project Microsoft Reader and .CHM (Compiled HTML in other projects, such as inter- guage (XML) format. The publisher then reuses active training aids and eBooks. Help) formats. Included on companion CDs that the XML data to create self-tests and eBooks, • By importing Word documents ship with certain printed titles, the eBooks are into FrameMaker+SGML, Microsoft and provides the data to other publishers. Press gains a structured document formatted somewhat differently from the printed view while leveraging the tool with which writers are comfortable Microsoft Press writers author titles in books. After the publisher creates an XML file authoring. Microsoft Word, and then desktop publishers from the FrameMaker+SGML file, the • Automated formatting in FrameMaker+SGML reduces errors import the files into Adobe FrameMaker+SGML team runs a series of transformations on the and helps ensure consistency to gain the benefits of a structured environment. XML so that each element falls into place auto- across Microsoft Press publications. • FrameMaker+SGML supports the “FrameMaker+SGML offers important extras matically. The eBooks are interactive; for long documents that Microsoft Press creates. such as structured document views, on-the-fly example, the Encyclopedia of Networks includes • FrameMaker+SGML supports validation, and the ability to publish easily to a customizable index that reflects the reader’s the full range of design elements, such as bleeds and full color, that XML or Adobe PDF,” says Patty Gardner, program profile and areas of interest. Microsoft Press customers expect manager for Microsoft Press Editorial. from retail books. • Adobe PDF files distributed for Synergy between FrameMaker and Word review print exactly as intended, Many uses of XML A key advantage of FrameMaker+SGML for even if the reviewers don’t have copies of FrameMaker+SGML. Microsoft Press began using FrameMaker+SGML Microsoft Press is that it supports the existing in early 2000, when it adopted XML. When workflow. “One of our criteria for a structured FrameMaker+SGML documents are saved in content solution was to preserve as much of our XML, each element—such as a heading, para- process as possible,” Gardner says, “and that graph, or graphic—receives a tag that describes includes authoring with Word.” The company it, resulting in a repository of reusable, tagged publishes about a third of its books in-house document elements. and works with outside vendors for the rest.

For example, to create interactive practice tests for MCSE certification, which are included on bc Full-color support Microsoft Press publications must be formatted attractively, often with bleeds and full color. “These are retail books, and readers have high expectations for the look and feel,” Gardner says. “FrameMaker+SGML not only provides the design elements we need, it supports very long documents—up to 1,500 . That’s a Microsoft Press writers author titles rare combination.” in Microsoft Word, and then desktop publishers import the files into Adobe FrameMaker+SGML to gain the benefits of a structured environment. Once More accurate printing imported into FrameMaker+SGML, any content that violates the structural rules Vendors receive Microsoft Word templates, With FrameMaker+SGML, Microsoft Press is highlighted. With FrameMaker+SGML, instructions about the content model, and a can output not only to XML, but also to Adobe Microsoft Press can output to XML, Adobe PostScript, and Adobe PDF from conversion table that maps Microsoft Word PostScript® and Adobe Portable Document a single source file. XML support in FrameMaker+SGML enables Microsoft styles to FrameMaker+SGML elements within Format (PDF). Authors typically use Adobe Press to reuse content authored for one project in other projects, such as the element definition documents (EDDs). Acrobat software to convert FrameMaker+SGML interactive training aids and eBooks. When authors import Word documents and documents to Adobe PDF for review, ensuring apply the conversion table and the EDD, that the documents print out exactly as intended, FrameMaker+SGML automatically applies the regardless of the reviewers’ hardware and appropriate formatting. “Automated formatting software. Microsoft Press also uses preseparated reduces errors and helps ensure consistency Adobe PDF files to streamline the print workflow. across publications,” Gardner says. “And FrameMaker+SGML is easy to pick up for Toward database publishing “FrameMaker+SGML offers skilled publishers.” The next step for Microsoft Press will be to important extras such as integrate FrameMaker+SGML with a content structured document views, On-the-fly validation management system, creating a central repos- on-the-fly validation, and On-the-fly validation of document structure is itory of content elements. Gardner notes that the ability to publish easily a major benefit of Adobe FrameMaker+SGML FrameMaker+SGML works with a variety of for Microsoft Press. When desktop publishers content management systems, giving the pub- to XML or Adobe PDF.” import their Word files into FrameMaker+SGML, lisher a choice of platforms. Patty Gardner any content that violates the structural rules Program manager The cost for all this flexibility? Impressively nomi- is highlighted. For example, suppose the Microsoft Press Editorial nal. “We looked at proprietary publishing soft- FrameMaker+SGML EDD specifies that a chap- ware, but the costs of bringing them in were too ter heading must be followed by a paragraph. high,” Gardner says. “FrameMaker+SGML gives If a bulleted list or graphic appears instead, the us structure, XML support, and the ability to structure line changes from a solid black line to handle long documents—all at an excellent price.” a dashed red line that informs the desktop pub- lisher a fix is needed. The desktop publisher can view a catalog of valid elements for that location TOOLBOX by clicking where the dashed red line begins. Adobe Acrobat Adobe FrameMaker+SGML “The feature of highlighting invalid elements is Microsoft Word very helpful,” Gardner says, “saving time and PCs running Windows® 2000 or Windows XP ensuring we maintain excellent document quality.”

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