Publishing with XML

Manuscript to XML

A major productivity issue for publishers "going XML" is getting from a copy-edited manuscript to some form of XML as quickly and easily as possible. We see manuscripts with all sorts of markup in them for custom InDesign importing; and lots of other ugly markup which are part of some "XML first strategy". The manuscript should never be the place for this.

However the manuscript should correctly express the structure of a document with section breaks, blocks and inline styling. These are all important aspects of editorial review. So we need clean manuscripts, that deliver everything editors need, and get to XML. Enter IGP Structure Styles.

Structure Styling is a definite option for clean manuscript to XML conversion.It is simple, elegant, can be customized,and no human has to every see ugly machine mark-up.

It works so well, with standard trade books, and using IGP:FLIP you can import the manuscript and go straight to the PDF and eBook outputs with a near press ready book.

IGP:FLIP with Live Preview and so much more...

I haven't blogged for a while due to various commitments and personal circumstances, but for my two readers out there... I'm baaaa...aack!

We just rolled out the new version of IGP:FLIP (Front LIst Interactive Publishing). It's mind-blowing and our challenge is to show the world just how good it is.

While IGP:FLIP always allows the instant generation of output formats from its editing XML, Preview was a bit detatched using downloaded files. In this update release Live Preview of important formats is instantly available without editors having to do anything. It looks like this:

 The red outlined area on the left is the new near WYSIWIG block editing environment. The new stuff is on the right. The Live preview pane updates a PDF, Online or eBook simulation in near real time with the last editorial changes. The above image shows a PDF with crops, the PDF toolbars didn't make it through the screen grab process. 

Here it is with the Live Preview showing Online / eBook preview. Notice the annotation tabs on the left side. More about those shortly.

I have only been using this for three days, but it is remarkable when laying out complex multi-column documents and manuals. Making multi-flow decisions for print, online and eBooks has become a lot easier.