XML import and export to and from DTP software

ElePub is also capable of importing and exporting entire DTP documents using XML. This supports all the attributes defined in the DTP software, which are imported from the DTP document and stored in ElePub.

Extract and store DTP content in ElePub and EleStore
If needed, the content can even be extracted automatically and stored in the EleStore CMS. This is a great solution for non-fiction book publishers, who wish to translate cookery books or travel guides into another language while exactly keeping the original layout (think of 5-color print with the 5th color being the language version).

Translators can use special EleStore versions to safely translate the content without risking any unwanted change to the DTP layout. In the end, the original layout is merged with the new content and new pages in the new language are created, which have exactly the same format and frame positioning as the original sources. This is vital for using the already existing 4-color prints. Of course, if you wish to change the format before creating new DTP documents, this is technically perfectly possible - only just not wanted in such cases.

Currently this is fully supported for QuarkXpress, the by far most frequently used DTP software in the graphics industry. We expect to have similar support for Adobe FrameMaker and InDesign available in spring 2003.

Use existing DTP documents
As stated above, ElePub is well capable of reading in and storing entire DTP documents. These documents consist of two parts:

• formatting, which in DTP software is defined in very complex and very application specific data structures (mostly in this horrible old C programming language)
• content, which is in no way linked to any data field or otherwise semantically qualified or defined and which therefore cannot be indexed in any way in a database.

ElePub is capable of reading in complete DTP publications, storing them, making changes, especially automatic changes to content and/or format to finally re-create new DTP documents.

Import layout design from DTP software via XML
The XML import feature can also be applied for importing layouts, which were designed in the usual DTP software, into ElePub, perhaps for creating repository object from creative work done in the usual DTP software. This is also fully supported. You therefore don't need to change or sacrifice your preferred proven way of designing layout.