Strategery - Flare for Mil-Std 40051 XML TM Development

[BobWBristolRI]

Hi All (First Time Visiting / Posting / New to MCF),

So the tech manual contract continues to require delivery of an XML file (using gov't DTD), along with a PDF sourced from the gov't XLST stylesheet packet. No IETM or web enabled delivery requirement.

Previously we'd done this using the Arbortext / Oxygen method... but now MCF has come up as a possible (better? long range?) alternative, with better potential to easily migrate to IETM output, and a smarter way to implement an actually usable content repository approach for large scale (lots of books, lots of revs, lots of changes) TM development.

Which is why I'm here. Sales is often clueless about this stuff (no offense, but have not had great success getting tech Qs answered from sales folks).

What I wanted to know (from the smart folks on the forums) is:

1. Can I import / ingest XML book files and .FM frame files as source matl's to work from to start buiding books/projects?
a. Will MCF see/ work with the gov't XML DTD for XML dev/ tagging?
2. In addition to XHTML or web output, can I export single XML files for a given TM?
3. Can I output/generate a PDF? (if I can export a valid, well-formed XML file, I can create PDFs using other tools, so not a show-stopper.)
a. Can I generate a PDF using the gov't XSLT stylesheet fileset?

While I realize that this would not be a trivial effort, I wanted to see if it was even possible to migrate to MCF for TM development and meet the contract deliverable requirements that we already have: XML book file that meets gov't DTD, with PDF sourced from gov't stylesheet. If we cannot meet those requirements, then there is no point in further MCF exploratory fun time.

Regards and thanks in advance - all thoughts and insights greatly appreciated!

Bob W, Bristol RI

[Melissa Kuzma]

Hey Bob...Did you ever get an answer to this? I am facing the same issue 40051 2B'. I want to use the files provided by Redstone and they were created in Arbortext 7. I'm fairly familiar with Flare, have never used Arbortext. We have a 3rd option called WebCompose or ComposeTool - which is an Army based replacement for the other 2. I'd love to hear how you solved this problem. Since it's from November, I imagine you've got your answer and are moving forward. Any insights would help. Thanks so much. Melissa

[BobWBristolRI]

No answers - others here at work (far MadCap smarter) actively working the problem. No news as of yet, probably proprietary if magically delicious. Regards, Bob W Bristol RI