Re: XSL FOs -> PDF using InDesign

> But why would you want to:
>
> XML -> XSL -> XSL:FO -> MIF -> Frame -> PDF
>
> When you could just go:
>
> XML -> MIF -> Frame -> PDF

You are misleading people with the latter. The XML -> MIF stage needs to be
done with something. In the former, it is done with XSLT + a tool for
FO2MIF. In the latter you would use a programming language like Python, Perl
or Omnimark.

Also, your example merges two orthogonal choices: XSLT versus
Python/Perl/Omnimark and direct MIF versus MIF via FO. I know where you
stand on the first issue, so factoring that out, the two choices are:

XML -> FO -> MIF

versus

XML -> MIF

The advantage of the former is that you can code a stylesheet that is
independent of the fact your are outputting MIF. You could then have a whole
range of backends: MIF, RTF, TeX, etc.

Your restating of the choices is certainly
more illuminating that my original description.

However, what no-one has addressed is that
to use the XML->FO->MIF route, you are limited
to only those features that are supported by
_both_ formats.

To be absolutely clear: you cannot use anything
in MIF that is not defined in the FO. And you cannot
use anything in the FO that cannot be implemented
by Frame.

I would personally prefer to use a straight
transformation tool (XSLT or Omnimark, Perl, etc),
and avoid the limitations the FOs may impose.

-------------------------
James Robertson
Step Two Designs Pty Ltd
SGML, XML & HTML Consultancy
http://www.steptwo.com.au/
jamesr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Beyond the Idea"
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