Roger Brian Gimson

Configurable editing of XML-based variable-data documents

Variable data documents can be considered as functions of their bindings to values, and this function could be arbitrarily complex to build strongly-customised but high-value documents. We outline an approach for editing such documents from example instances, which is highly configurable in terms of controlling exactly what is editable and how, capable of being used with a wide variety of XML-based document formats and processing pipelines, if certain reasonable properties are supported and can generate appropriate editors automatically, including web-service deployment.

Resolving layout interdependency with presentational variables

In the construction of variable data documents, the layout of component parts to build a composite section with heterogeneous layout functions can be implemented by a tree-evaluating layout processor. This handles many cases with well-scoped structure very smoothly but becomes complex when layout relationships between components cut across a strict tree. We present an approach for XML-described layouts based on a post-rendering set of single-assignment variables, analagous to XSLT, that can make this much easier, does not compromise layout extensibility and can be a target for automated interdependency analysis and generation. This is the approach used in the layout processor associated with the Document Description Framework (DDF).

Endless documents: a publication as a continual function

Variable data can be considered as functions of their bindings to values. The Document Description Framework (DDF) treats documents in this manner, using XSLT semantics to describe document functionality and a variety of related mechanisms to support layout, reference and so forth. But the result of evaluation of a function could itself be a function: can variable data documents behave likewise? We show that documents can be treated as simple continuations within that framework with minor modifications. We demonstrate this on a perpetual diary.