[Thotbook-dev] RFC: global architecture issues, proposed milestones

[Yann Dirson]

This is a request for comments.  I try to list all alternatives I'm
aware of.  Please complete this list, and comment on any point you
feel like commenting.


1. What we *need* to provide to Thotlib to start with

  1.1 definition of the structure structure

    There are several options:

    1.1.1 use the Thot S language

      This is the historical way of doing things, and requires to
      express the DocBook DTD (or a subset) in this language.

      1.1.1.1 We could for example select a subset of "simplified
      docbook" to start with.

      1.1.1.2 Or we could write a DTD-to-S converter

    1.1.2 add DTD-reading support to Thotlib

      This is probably the best thing, as it would benefit to other
      DTDs than DocBook - especially DocBook customisations.  W3C
      schema support would be nice as well in the long run, as its
      expressive power compares better with S than the old DTD syntax.

  1.2 definition of screen presentation

    1.2.1 use the Thot P language

      1.2.1.1 start from scratch

      1.2.1.2 start from the LaTeX-like report.P in ThotEditor 2.1e

    1.2.2 use CSS / add/improve CSS support to Thotlib

      AFAIK there is preliminary CSS support in Thotlib/Amaya, but it
      is not completely usable.  It would be good to have that in the
      long run, as some commercial products can already use CSS for
      this, and there are CSS for DocBook around.
      [META: Links to those CSS sheets should be added on website]

  1.3 SGML/XML export

    We seem to need that in order to produce SGML/XML documents.

    1.3.1 use the Thot T language

    1.3.2 replace Thot .PIV (binary) native format with XML

      This would additionally require an XML importer, but
        -> an importer is being worked on by the Amaya team
        -> one would be needed anyway to edit existing documents

  1.4 an application

    1.4.1 build a complete application, probably using the Thot A
    language for the GUI.  This probably what has to be done in the
    long run.

    1.4.2 revive the Thot editor

      Thot Editor is a generic application (using the A language) that
      allow to edit documents using arbitrary sets of (S,T,P) files.
      If we can revive it, it can be used as a testbed for our S,T,P
      files, before we start to work on the real application.

2.  Afterwards

Probably only the SGML/XML import will still need to be done.

Generic XML support will probably be better implemented by
replacing/supplementing PIV.

Generic SGML support will surely be better implemented using libosp,
from the OpenJade project.

-- 
Yann Dirson <address@hidden>                 http://www.alcove.com/
Free-Software Engineer                                Ingénieur Logiciel-Libre
Free-Software time manager             Responsable du temps Informatique-Libre