Skip to main content
L
LynnHales1-Visitor
1-Visitor
August 24, 2010
Question

40051 XSL style sheets

  • August 24, 2010
  • 5 replies
  • 1589 views
Well I am finally back to working style sheets. Been a while.

I recall that one or two folks have been working with the LOGSA provided 40051 XSL FO. I'd like to discuss these files with anyone who'd care to comment. Off line would probably be best, so respond to -.

The folks I'm working for now are tasked to update the files currently available from LOGSA (written to 40051-1/-2) to the recently released 40051-1A/-2A DTD.

We've been experiencing a fair number of errors and would like to hear if anyone else has had problems with the files.

Many thanks

Lynn

    5 replies

    R
    RobertWilliams1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    September 13, 2010
    Hi Lynn Hales,

    I've been a lurker of the adepters board for a long time (a modest user of the tools, not a FOSI or XSL developer), but I felt it now time to contact you regarding the LOGSA fileset.

    I'm a contractor building books for Natick Labs (small LOGSA activity near Boston), which is an underling of LOGSA. They are one of the activities that are now standing up XML book development using the LOGSA fileset. They (the gov't tech pub folks) are new to XML... I've been doing books in XML for a little while, more in SGML, various service branches, mostly Navy, some Army and Air Force, for over 10 yrs.

    Here's my prob - as Natick stands up its' capability (training folks, getting Arbortext up, working with LOGSA etc.), I've been building their first book using the 5.3 version of Arbortext and the LOGSA 40051-2_3_24 / Stylesheet C 1_3 fileset combination - on and off, during this past year.

    This Arbortext/LOGSA software combo was the only one that I could find to work <that would=" actually=" make=" print=" composer=" work=" (we=" are=" a=" small=" standalone=" shop)=" to=" generate=" pdfs=" without=" the=" software=" blowing=" up=" (arbortext?,=" distiller?=" never=" was=" sure=" which=" one=" killed=" which=" one).=" no=" kidding,=" last=" year,=" no=" newer=" combination=" seemed=" to=" be=" able=" to=" run=" without=" locking=" up=" my=" local=" machine=" so=" bad=" that=" it=" required=" a=" hard=" (power=" pushbutton=" down=" and=" hold=" it)=" reboot=" to=" get=" my=" machine=" back=" and=" working=" again.<br="/>
    So, we used 5.3 and the older LOGSA files so that I could both generate the formatted output, and deliver hardcopy. This approach allowed us to show the gov't folks that there actually was a book in there, in all of the XML markup, but also that there were significant problems with the LOGSA stuff.

    But, knowing that I could generate PDFs and hardcopy with this combination, I've been reluctant to migrate upwards, until I could get a reasonable assurance that a more updated (i.e. 'fixed') version of the Arbortext / LOGSA stylesheet combo would work (and still make it possible to Print Compose and generate PDFs without blowing its own software up.)

    Now - (knowing that you've been in 'the game' for more than a little while and that you know your stuff very well)... is the LOGSA fileset mature enough to allow me to now transition to Arbortext 5.4 and a version of the LOGSA fileset CAVEAT that will also allow me to Print Compose to a PDF without blowing up?

    I've heard all of the stuff about 'no more print composer' etc, etc. But since we're really a small shop - spending tens of thousands for publishing engine servers is silly, if I can simply 'print compose' and send the book to the gov't periodically (1-2 per year).

    Let me know - I wait with baited breath.

    Lastly, if you have tidbits of knowledge on how the LOGSA effort is progressing, I'd be keen to know that too.

    Respectfully,

    Bob Williams
    Tech Research Group, Inc.
    2377 Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence RI 02914
    TEL 401.434.4680
    EMAIL robert.williams@techresearchgroup.com

    P
    ptc-30501501-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    September 13, 2010
    Robert,

    I'll offer some comments from another contractor. I tried working with the 40051 stylesheets starting with version 1.5 and it was a nightmare. Version 1.6 was never officially released (to my knowledge) because of all the errors the fixes introduced (been there, done that!) Version 1.7 has been being fixed all this year and the final version is (hopefully) about to be released (LOGSA is moving on to the next spec version 2361D). A bunch of us contributed to help get it done.

    It isn't perfect, but compared to 1.5 it has come miles and miles.

    Most people don't use the Print Engine...we found that out the hard way when we were the first ones to go with 5.4 and the PE and pretty much nothing worked...so I wouldn't worry about not having the PE.

    Without knowing why yours crashed, there is no telling whether this one will or won't. It doesn't on ours anymore, I can say that. But I can also say the error messages are so vague I can't tell you why it was crashing on us half the time either.

    I can also tell you that if it is over a certain number of pages (15,000 for us) the PE won't print and takes 4-5 hours to finally crash.

    The stylesheets still exhibit the multitude of FO blocks just thrown together and that isn't going to change...so if your crash derives from the stylesheets not being formatted properly, then...

    The fixes in version 1.7 definitely make it worth giving a go. The version online is (hopefully the final before) the final.

    John T. Jarrett CDT
    Senior Tech Writer, Integrated Logistics Support,Land & Armaments/Global Tactical Systems

    T832.673.2147 | M 832.363.7234 | F 832.673.2376| x1147 | -
    BAE Systems, 5000 I-10 West, Sealy, Texas USA 77474
    www.baesystems.com

    K
    kmccain1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    December 1, 2011

    I know this is an old thread but I am looking for a source for any updated 40051 stylesheets. ASRL seems to have DTDs posted, but no fosi or stylesheet for the later versions so maybe I am looking in the wrong place?


    The last version I have is xslfo-main-v1_6.xsl and I'm not really sure where I got it, but I have a problem with it in that when I compose to PDF with it none of my xrefs seem to actually work. It creates a clickable link that goes no where. This also happens in the Preview version.


    The xrefs work within the Editor itself. I am using 5.4 and Print Composer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

    E
    ebenton1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    December 1, 2011
    It looks like there are some later versions than v1_6 on
    L
    LynnHales1-VisitorAuthor
    1-Visitor
    December 1, 2011
    Due to some internal Army 'politics', all the 40051 XSL is maintained on the LOGSA web site.

    There are two versions out there. One is for MIL-STD-40051-1/-2 and is version 1.8. The second is for MIL-STD-40051-1A/-2A (the latest revision to the standard) and that is version V1_0.

    There may be a problem with the 1.8 FO. I am not sure if LOGSA has fixed their problems.

    The ASRL has the DTDs.

    Lynn

    ---- Kim McCain <kmccain@triaddesignservice.com> wrote:
    > I know this is an old thread but I am looking for a source for any updated 40051 stylesheets. ASRL seems to have DTDs posted, but no fosi or stylesheet for the later versions so maybe I am looking in the wrong place?
    > The last version I have is xslfo-main-v1_6.xsl and I'm not really sure where I got it, but I have a problem with it in that when I compose to PDF with it none of my xrefs seem to actually work. It creates a clickable link that goes no where. This also happens in the Preview version.
    > The xrefs work within the Editor itself. I am using 5.4 and Print Composer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
    >
    >      
    > ----------     
    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement