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Can I create "List of effective pages" in Arbortext Styler edited in APP?

dbd
1-Newbie
1-Newbie

Can I create "List of effective pages" in Arbortext Styler edited in APP?

Hi,

Can I create "List of effective pages" in Arbortext Styler  6.0 edited in APP(with an style file)?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

In most systems I've seen, the change information is indicated by actual markup, either XML elements, attributes or processing instructions. If the changes are not marked up then your system has to calculate the changes (which adds another layer of complexity).

Assuming you are using the APP engine, the page number is readily available via the documented Javascript FOM.

The algorithm would be something like: 1. Use an array variable to accumulate change information, the array index is the sequential page number. 2. Ensure array variable is cleared prior to the first format. 3. During format, each time you hit a change mark, check the array variable for the current page. 4. If the change is newer then update the array variable, otherwise leave it alone. 5. In your LEP section you will run a function to generate the list of effective pages. 6. This function will iterate through your array variable and spit out the change information, per page. 7. If your LEP is at the start of your document (as it usually is), then you will need to format twice - it is only the 2nd time around that the array variable will be fully populated.

I'm sorry but if you need more than the above, then you really need either training by, or assistance from, a 3rd party. Next step is analysis of content and document requirements then implementation in actual code.

View solution in original post

8 REPLIES 8

Hello,

Yes it is be possible to create LEP functrionality within APP stylesheets. Native APP would be easier, but it should be possible with source edits and/or template associations.

There are many variations to what individual customer LEP requirements are so it would depend greatly on this and your content structure.

We have studied this for a customer with with DITA and it is cirtainly feasable, with a little hands on work.

Regards
Chris

www.arbortext.solutions

I'm trying to create a LEPs with all pages and a date that comes from xml file and i don't know how to have access to all generated number of pages and integrate LEP in the pdf file.

The design of LEP should look like below:

CHPATER 1

     Page 1   Date

     Page 2   Date

     Page 3   Date

CHPATER 2

     Page 1   Date

     Page 2   Date

     Page 3   Date

     Page 4   Date


Can i do this with an associated template, or other solution?

Does that mean you want to merge another XML file (the LEP data file) into your main XML file? You can do that before processing, is easiest, otherwise you would have to look into either ACL scripting or an APP source override or associated template solution.

No, sorry for not being more explicit. The date comes from the main xml file. I'm new to Arbortext Styler and i don't know the workflow on how to create a LEP in printed PDF file.

The usual process would be to have a document which contains change marks and other change information (captured as XML tags or attributes). The system will then format the document to produce pages. During formatting it will capture the change information and calculate for each page the maximum change number (last changed date). At the conclusion of the format it may then build a LEP using the calculated change data now held in memory.

There is no built-in function for this in Arbortext, you have to code this yourself.

As Chris has alluded to, this is not "out of the box". Also it depends on what degree of automation you require as to how much effort you need to expend on setting up the stylesheet (template). Arbortext Change Page for Defense used to support this for MILSPEC documentation but I believe that product is discontinued.

dbd
1-Newbie
1-Newbie
(To:dbd)

My issue is how to capture the change information and the page number during formatting.

What are the events that can help me capture these information?

When I was saying that I don’t know the workflow, I actually meant that I don’t know what Arbortext is doing exactly when processing the .app for formatting.

In most systems I've seen, the change information is indicated by actual markup, either XML elements, attributes or processing instructions. If the changes are not marked up then your system has to calculate the changes (which adds another layer of complexity).

Assuming you are using the APP engine, the page number is readily available via the documented Javascript FOM.

The algorithm would be something like: 1. Use an array variable to accumulate change information, the array index is the sequential page number. 2. Ensure array variable is cleared prior to the first format. 3. During format, each time you hit a change mark, check the array variable for the current page. 4. If the change is newer then update the array variable, otherwise leave it alone. 5. In your LEP section you will run a function to generate the list of effective pages. 6. This function will iterate through your array variable and spit out the change information, per page. 7. If your LEP is at the start of your document (as it usually is), then you will need to format twice - it is only the 2nd time around that the array variable will be fully populated.

I'm sorry but if you need more than the above, then you really need either training by, or assistance from, a 3rd party. Next step is analysis of content and document requirements then implementation in actual code.

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