© 2010 JustSystems Inc.© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
in 37 minutes
Episode #2:
Quick and Easy Usability
in XMetaL Author
Presenter:
Tom Magliery
XML Technology Specialist
Brought to you by XMetaL Technical Services
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• XMetaL Author requires a “document customization” for any document type
• Customization includes the DTD/schema, style sheets, element properties, forms, macros
• DITA customization is included with XMEE– Provides many special features for working with DITA
Background: How XMetaL works
There are 37 holes in the mouthpiece of a telephone (old style).
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Default is automatically generated• Style sheets serviceable, not especially pretty• Generic XML editing
– E.g., Working Element List and Attribute Inspector, but no DTD-specific menu items
• Authors can work, but not as efficient as they could be
• How can we improve the situation?– Techniques applicable both to new and existing
customizations
Customizations for other doctypes
All American Express card numbers start with 37.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Know your users’ needs and wants• Study authors’ habits and preferences• Analyze common tasks• Identify inefficiencies
• Now some examples of low-hanging fruit ...
Before you begin
“I’m 37, I’m not old” – Dennis the peasant in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
Modify the style sheets
Easy pickin’s #1
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Style sheets are not only for aesthetics– Also should help the author to visualize markup– Improve author’s understanding of structure
• CSS is widely known standard• High visual impact
– Minimal effort can yield dramatic changes
• Don’t forget about Structure View!– Separate CSS adds further flexibility
#1: Modify the style sheets
Beethoven's symphonies comprise 37 movements.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.The Green Monster in Fenway Park is 37 feet tall.
• Modified DITA CSS• 37 added lines of code• Look at the difference
Style sheet example
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Make new document templates
Easy pickin’s #2
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• Built-in templates are simple and generic• Make templates that better match your content• Include all “required” elements
– Saves authors time
• Add/modify “replaceable text” hints– Element descriptions– Usage and style guidelines
#2: Make new document templates
"This is the 37th time I have spoken to you from this office ..." – R. Nixon's resignation speech
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
Creating templates for XMetaL
• Create an XML file• Save it in XMetaL’s template folders• Each subfolder makes a tab
Nixon was also the 37th President.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
Creating templates for DITA
• Create a DITA file in XMetaL• Run the “Save Copy as Template” macro
– Saves with proper doctype and strips IDs
Hannibal brought 37 elephants with him on his conquest of Rome.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
Change element mini-templates
Easy pickin’s #3
Elaine slept with Jerry 37 times.
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• Same idea as with document templates• Except they’re littler• Change is in the CTM file• XML fragment for every element
#3: Change element mini-templates
Cool Hand Luke's prison uniform number is 37.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
Write helpful macros
Easy pickin’s #4
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Computers are supposed to do the tedious work for us!
• Identify frequent, repetitive or inefficient actions• Write macros to do them automatically• Be sure to assign a hotkey
– Can also do menu/toolbar items, but we are looking at minimal effort here
#4: Write helpful macros
The landing slope angle for international ski aerials competition is 37 degrees.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Create special-purpose commands for commonly-used elements:
Example: Insert macro
<MACRO name="Insert_Unordered_List" hide="false" key="Ctrl+Shift+B" lang="JScript">
<![CDATA[ if (Selection.CanInsert("ul")) {
Selection.InsertWithTemplate("ul"); }; ]]></MACRO>
SPAM was invented in 1937.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• No built-in command in XMetaL:– “Select entire element contents (not the tags)”
• But there is an API ... so write a macro
Example: Power-user macro
<MACRO name="Select_Container_Contents" hide="false" key="Ctrl+Shift+S" lang="JScript">
<![CDATA[ Selection.SelectContainerContents();
]]></MACRO>
There are 37 points in a “perfect” hand in bridge.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
Create custom forms
Easy pickin’s #5
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Sometimes a form-style interface is more understandable
• Use XFT to create custom forms
#5: Create custom forms
The curie, a unit of radiation activity, is 37 billion disintegrations per second.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Developer documentation– http://na.justsystems.com/content-support-user-
guides– XMetaL Customization Guide– XMetaL Developer Programmer's Guide
• XMetaL Community Forums– http://forums.xmetal.com/
• JustSystems Partner Centre – http://justpartnercenter.com/
Is there a way to ... ?
The first touchdown pass in Super Bowl history was for 37 yards.
© 2010 JustSystems Inc.
• Thank you for attending!
Q&A
“Thirty-seven!” – Dante in “Clerks”