to convert XSLs from HTML to FO: approach, ideas, thou

Since there were no replies I am re-stating the subject of this message.

WHAT I AM DOING? MY DELIVERABLES

There are 2 documents at this location in HTML and PDF.

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantml570/description-G2.
html#quickspecs

(Please answer this after looking at the specific documents I am
generating)

That is the document we are attempting to generate automatically from
XML data and using XSL-HTML and XSL-FO. Until now this was generated by
hand and we are trying to build an editing and automation document
synthesis system.

HOW IT'S BEING DONE?

I have recently finished rendering the XSL-HTML and finished headers,
footers and chapter markers for the same.

I have built in a lot of XSL-template application logic in the process
and would like live by the same.

CURRENT OUTPUTS:

To keep the layouts very easily re-configurable the stylesheets when
applied from the higher levels (of the document) to the lower levels,
come together in the form of a lot of "nested" tables in HTML.

So far this approach has been successful with HTML and before I get deep
into generating these FO I want to be sure that this "table" approach of
handling layouts is sensible.

WHY I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO DO IT THIS WAY? REASONING? Somehow the
document layout is in well-structured small blocks that nest into bigger
structures with spaces. Sometimes the smaller blocks fit in 2 "holes"
that are side-by-side (left-right), sometimes they are top-bottom,
sometimes a combinational layout of the 2 dimensions.

For example,

Head - Body

Head
Body

Head
Body - Sub Body

Head - Body - Sub Body

(Plus a number of smaller "defined" data blocks that associate and fit
in various layout templates (which are now a part of the XSL templates I
am using).

CURRENT PLAN:
I will be using Doug Tidwell's guide to converting HTML to FO and a
bunch of other white papers.

QUESTION IS:

(Please answer this after looking at the specific documents I am
generating)

I am wondering if this approach will be OKAY or will it create havoc
with FO in terms of nested tables/blocks? 

Is there a better way to approach this?

BOTTOM NOTE: I know that there is a strong dependency on which FO
processor I use for this. But, as such we are still open in that respect
and are currently evaluating a number of these. 


So, I would like to hear if there is a better layout "design" approach
here or maybe certain "pitfalls" that you may have faced or u think I
might have to face.

Regards,

Abhishek Sanwal
HP - Houston Campus
abhishek.sanwal@xxxxxx

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