docbook-apps

On 3/5/07, Sean Wheller <sean@inwords.co.za> wrote:
>
> On Sunday 04 March 2007 21:10, Hendy Irawan wrote:
> > It's been several years and the XSL-for-FO/PDF still very plain yet with
> > fine functionality.
> >
> > I've been searching for "better"-looking XSL stylesheets (like those
> used
> > by commercial publishers), but haven't found any.
> >
> > I wonder if there is already work on producing [open-source] customized
> > stylesheets from the official DocBook XSL so that people will have more
> fun
> > writing their books. :-)
>
> The stylesheets are fine.
>
> The fun is in making your own custom layers.
> --
> Sean Wheller
> Technical Author
> email: sean@inwords.co.za
> im: seanwhe@jabber.org
> skype: seanwhe
> cel: +27-84-854-9408
> web: http://www.inwords.co.za
>

Thanks Sean...

I wonder why the original question is still not answered ("where are other
stylesheets?") which makes me think that the answer is "no, there aren't
any." It almost feels like the blogosphere will be like what it is now
without WordPress or Blogger templates.

I agree that the stylesheet is fine and I have a lot of fun writing books,
but not designing stylesheets. I'm a web developer and I love to code but I
hate to deal with HTML/CSS/Photoshop (it's the designer's job, not mine).

I've just got O'Reilly's XSL-FO and unfortunately it doesn't contain as much
information as I wanted it to. (and another unfortunate, there isn't much
choice left... the "Definitive XSL-FO" book sucks from reviews I read)

I think I'll still try to customize the XSL-FO stylesheet and see what I can
do with it, although I'm far from being a typographer. XSL-FO isn't exactly
CSS for me...

I really need your help friends. Even now I'm still banging my head against
this problem: how to put a "block" (anything with text on it, and image) on
the top-left corner of a page? I've tried fo:block, fo:block-container,
fo:static-content, absolute-position=fixed, position=fixed, ...... and the
block still stays at that exact same position. (and if I use
fo:block-container, it vanishes!)

--
Hendy Irawan
Web: http://hendy.gauldong.net
Mobile: +62 856 24889899
Yahoo Messenger: ceefour666
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ceefour

Hendy Irawan wrote:

> I agree that the stylesheet is fine and I have a lot of fun writing books,
> but not designing stylesheets. I'm a web developer and I love to code but I
> hate to deal with HTML/CSS/Photoshop (it's the designer's job, not mine).
>
> I've just got O'Reilly's XSL-FO and unfortunately it doesn't contain as
> much
> information as I wanted it to.
Tell me where it's weak please.
I'm due an xsl-fo session for a second edition.


regards

--
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk

On 3/5/07, Dave Pawson <davep@dpawson.co.uk> wrote:
>
> Hendy Irawan wrote:
>
> > I agree that the stylesheet is fine and I have a lot of fun writing
> books,
> > but not designing stylesheets. I'm a web developer and I love to code
> but I
> > hate to deal with HTML/CSS/Photoshop (it's the designer's job, not
> mine).
> >
> > I've just got O'Reilly's XSL-FO and unfortunately it doesn't contain as
> > much
> > information as I wanted it to.
> Tell me where it's weak please.
> I'm due an xsl-fo session for a second edition.
>
>
> regards
>
> --
> Dave Pawson
> XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
> http://www.dpawson.co.uk
>

Wow!!

Never expected its author to be actually here... :-) [omg, this is the
DocBook official mailing list, how could I didn't think of that...?] ;-)

In short your book is much, much more enjoyable than XSL's W3C
recommendation. :-) And it's good great reviews and I should have added
positive review from me too.

Anyways, from the problem at hand, it's "not enough". I'm currently
troubleshooting how to put the chapter title on the top left with some
background. And although I've used the technique you described at the
near-end of the book (fo:block-container absolute-position=fixed top=20mm)
"it doesn't work". If I use block-container it vanishes. If I use block then
I can't position it. The only way I seem to be able to position a block is
using margin, which is pretty bad hack (but I think it'll use that as
desperate last effort).

I also wonder why something like block width=80% doesn't give me the
intended effect? (It still gives full width).

I'm using FOP 0.93 processor. Maybe this is an issue? I'm not planning to
move to XEP for something like this. I'm just a regular writer who wants to
publish free, good looking, tech e-books.

Anyways the current DocBook XSL stylesheet for FO/PDF seems to have a
"bug"... On glossary generation, if the glossterm is too long then it'll
"crash" with the gloss definition. Kinda ugly.

--
Hendy Irawan
Web: http://hendy.gauldong.net
Mobile: +62 856 24889899
Yahoo Messenger: ceefour666
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ceefour

Hendy Irawan wrote:

> Anyways, from the problem at hand, it's "not enough". I'm currently
> troubleshooting how to put the chapter title on the top left with some
> background. And although I've used the technique you described at the
> near-end of the book (fo:block-container absolute-position=fixed top=20mm)
> "it doesn't work". If I use block-container it vanishes. If I use block
> then
> I can't position it. The only way I seem to be able to position a block is
> using margin, which is pretty bad hack (but I think it'll use that as
> desperate last effort).
>
> I also wonder why something like block width=80% doesn't give me the
> intended effect? (It still gives full width).
>
> I'm using FOP 0.93 processor. Maybe this is an issue? I'm not planning to
> move to XEP for something like this. I'm just a regular writer who wants to
> publish free, good looking, tech e-books.

Then you'll have to learn to live within the constraints of what you can
afford?

Learn the compliance table fo fop; then complain about not being able to
do X or Y Hendy.


regards

--
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk