XML Workflow
for Digital Content
What is XML workflow?
•
XML workflow is about how content can be
stored and represented in XML, and the journey
that content follows through the publishing
process.
•
However an XML workflow can do much more
than simply making content into a book or
electronic book…
•
…it can be used to label and define all aspects of
a digital publishing ecosystem.
Why XML workflow?
Content should not just sit in an information silo. In an
XML-workflow that is part of an XML environment…
•
Content is more then just print…
•
Content is more than just eBooks…
•
Content is more than just the web….
•
Content is more than just Apps…
The content of your books shouldn’t be trapped in one
place –
XML workflow has the flexibility to release it
.
Why XML workflow?
XML workflow can be used for
all
the information you
have relating to the publishing process, that includes:
•
Book metadata.
•
Profiles for editors, reviewers, readers.
•
Feedback and discussion.
•
Maps, diary events and any other specific behaviour
relating to the content.
•
Other supporting content used for management and
research.
Why XML workflow?
XML workflow is more than XML-based production:
•
Content gains value when it’s part of an integrated ecosystem.
•
Content works best in an ecosystem when it’s described properly.
XML is an ideal method for doing this.
•
XML allows you to describe your data so it can behave intelligently.
•
For example: Perhaps your data is information about a person or
place?
– If so, the system can present the information as a user profile with messaging, diary controls, maps and other community features.
Why XML workflow?
XML is very powerful, but can become overly complex
if not used correctly.
•
Make sure your XML is easy to update (web forms, rich
editing) so that users feel they are in a familiar
environment.
•
Make sure your XML is easy to search.
•
Make sure the workflow can seamlessly publish your XML
content to other platforms (e.g. HTML5, InDesign, EPub).
Why XML workflow?
• As well as identifying where content fits in the digital publishing process, XML
workflow allows us to describe what a piece of content represents.
• For example, rather than a book of recipes simply being formatted text, the recipes are properly identified and described in terms of ingredients, instructions etc.
• The benefits are then immediate. The
system will build a fully searchable database of recipes from your book content.
Why XML workflow?
• Content can be stored as a module .
• For example, in a digital or print publication about the performing arts, information
about a dancer is made into an online profile where it can be updated by the dancer herself.
• In this way, communities become an integral part of the publishing process.
• The system can then easily make new books and eBooks from the updated content.
Why XML workflow?
• In a membership website, information about events, awards, etc. can both be printed and displayed online.
• E-commerce features allow tickets to be sold.
• Geo location features display maps.
• Entire communities of interest can be built.
Why XML workflow?
In an XML-workflow system, many types of files can be output automatically:
• Epubs
• Mobi
• InDesign files
• Word files
• XML files
All can be managed, updated and published directly through the website.
XML Workflow
:
XML workflow: Updating your content
XML is very powerful, but can become overly
complex if not used correctly.
•
The secret to updating your content is to make the process
as intuitive as possible.
•
Some parts of the content (e.g. a date, a category) can be
represented using familiar web form controls.
•
Some content needs to be controlled by rich (“Word-like”)
XML editing functionality.
Updating content
• For example: an XML entity, which is described in the system as a date, is converted automatically to a web form date picker.
Updating content
• An element can be set to store images with cropping controls.
Updating content
• An element might be set to store categories in a taxonomy:
Updating content
• Some types of content need more general editing capabilities. In the Librios system, built-in browser-based editing features take care of this.
Updating content
• XML allows for a rich editing interface that is also context sensitive. In this example, the
toolbar buttons have adjusted automatically to show the styles
needed for the cooking recipe.
Other rich editing
capabilities include:
• Index handling • Cross-referencing (with bi-directional features) • Content reuse • End notesXML Workflow: Content reuse
Breaking your content into reusable modules has
many advantages. These include:
•
Re-use modules across different projects.
•
Modules can be updated by different teams.
•
Modules can also follow their own workflow, then join
back together to form a publication.
Content re-use
• You might want to build an image library for your pictures. Here you can categorise them and search on any meta data you have entered in the XML using a web form…
..and then re-use the image wherever you need it. The system keeps a record of all the places you have re-used content.
XML Workflow
:
A practical example: a title in a
series of cooking books
A practical example
Two time-saving and cost-saving aims:
•
Automatically bring the content into the system as XML
ready for online updating.
•
Automatically build a database of recipes from across the
series which can be searched and used for Apps and
A practical example
• Here we have a series of books which contain both general content and recipes stored in a Word file.
A practical example
• First of all we paste the content of the Word file into the import box.
• We specify an ‘Import filter’ which maps Word styles to the correct XML element within the system.
A practical example
• The content is imported.
• The content is stored as XML, but converted to HTML5 automatically for display on the website.
A practical example
A practical example
• The recipes have been identified as a specific ‘recipe’ information type…
… therefore recipes across all titles are now searchable. Search results can be made into print and electronic versions….
A practical example
• An XML-environment makes it easy for content can be updated directly on the website…
… and changes to content are automatically tracked.
A practical example
• Notes and actions can be added and displayed in calendar controls.
A practical example
• An XML module has been made to store book metadata.
• This stores the book cover (which is converted automatically into different formats), rights and sales information.
• When we want to make an eBook we can select this metadata so that the cover and rights information is
incorporated automatically into the final product.
A practical example
• Not only eBooks but also InDesign or Word files can be produced as well.
Content can also be saved in other formats such as
InDesign and Word.
For example, in InDesign:
•
Styles (paragraph, character, table and object) are created
automatically if they do not exist in your template.
•
Index codes and footnotes are created.
•
Tables, pictures etc. are placed.
Summary
A great advantage of working in an XML environment
is that XML workflow allows you to break your
content into information types, for example:
•
User profiles
•
Diary entries and events
•
Media
•
Citations
Summary
As this webinar has shown, an XML workflow allows
you to define an entire information ecosystem.
•
Communities of interest can comment and build a dialogue
around your content.
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Editors can update content with version tracking.
•
Publications in print and eBook can be created at any time,
from any content within the system.
Another example
• On this author website, the XML environment allows the author to create and update his books.
Another example
• The XML workflow enables the author to create both eBooks and Print-on-Demand versions and sell them directly on the site.
Another example
• And the use of XML in this “self-publishing ecosystem” also enables the author to organise events so he can keep in constant contact with his community.
