A GUI application for writers

[Jeff Schering]

Hi all

I have been thinking lately of ways to reduce the technologoical
barriers to participation for writers who are new to the Ubuntu
Docteam.

Writers have to learn how to access the svn repos, how to commit (or
create diffs until they have commit permission), and how to use
DocBook. Accessing the svn repos is made easier by eSvn, but I think
more could be done. As a matter of fact, it was eSvn that inspired me
to think about the possibility of greater automation of the process.

I tried to think of a single gui application that would help to reduce
the tech barriers. In short, the app would handle all connections and
communications with the repos in the background at a higher level than
eSvn does, while at the same time providing an environment for
browsing and editing DocBook docs. It would be the only app that a
writer or editor needs in order to contribute to the project.

The application contains the following gui features:
- standard menus
- toolbar across the top
- a tree view on the left
- a document pane on the right
- a message pane across the bottom

On first startup, the app sets up the working copy. On subsequent
startups, the app updates the working copy. The app displays this
activity in the message pane, but does not require any input from the
writer.

The app knows where the Ubuntu docteam repos is - the writer shouldn't
have to do anything to specify the repos. The writer should only have
to enter the proper username and password for the repos.

When a DocBook file is opened, the app shows a tree view of the
document structure. Only block level elements are shown in the tree
view. Clicking on one of the tree view items displays that block in
the document pane. If you click on a <sect1> item in the tree view,
then only that section and its contents (including other nested
elements such as <para>) are displayed. If you click on a <para> tag,
then only that paragraph and its contents are displayed. (To see
similar, but not exact, functionality, open a DocBook file in the
Screem web editor)

The document pane has two modes: raw DocBook, and What You See Is One
Option (WYSIOO).

The toolbar has a build button. Clicking on the build button brings up
a dialog where you can choose to build html (all one page, or one page
per chapter, or whatever), pdf, or some other format.

The toolbar also has a validate button. Clicking the validate button
causes the app to validate the current file against the appropriate
DTD.

The toolbar also has a commit button. If you have appropriate
permissions, clicking on the commit button will commit the changes to
the repos. If you do not have the appropriate permissions, clicking on
the commit button will create a diff and send it to the appropriate
email address.

Clicking on the commit button may also cause the app to produce an
output in Moin and update a wiki page somewhere.

The application has one or more dialogs, used for
- selecting xslt's
- managing repositories (passwords, locations, type, etc)
- managing the working copy (importing files, deleting files, etc)
- selecting transformation tools (xsltproc, jade, etc)
- managing DTD's

The application integrates smoothly with the translation system.
(Rosetta, .pot and .po files)

If you are having trouble imagining the app, think of the marriage of
eSvn and a web editor such as Screem, except most of the eSvn
functionality is behind the scenes and only visible in the message
pane.

It sounds "blue sky", but I think it's doable.

I tried to think of a name for the app. Barrier ReDuction came to mind
(BRD) which sounds like "birdie". Birds like to fly free in the blue
sky, so perhaps "birdie" is appropriate.

Is there anything else needed to make this the only app that a writer
or editor would need in order to contibute to the project?

Would it be worth trying to talk some devels into working on it?

Cheers,
Jeff

-- 
GPG Key: 1024D/F23C67E8 2005-02-20 Jeff Schering <jeffschering at gmail.com>