Re: [xml-dev] XML based wiazrd

["Hugh Chatfield" <csi2000@urbanmarket.com>]

Actually the someone was me..

I wasn't suggesting using SGML - rather to look at the if/then/else logic
modelled in the data, and the 6 classes of IETM which provide a range of
functionality from "page turning" to "completely interactive technical
manuals" which would give an idea about "how one might display the data".

Yes these can be very complex - but Sam said the solution would be somewhat
complex.   He was also looking for an XML solution - possibly using XSLT
(hence the posting on the XSL discussion group)

A key problem in any case is building the if/then/else logic tree for the
problem domain - which could be very non trivial (independent of how it
might be implemented).  I suggested looking at the Canadian CALS effort
since the DTD developed had the semantics of "problems, possible causes,
diagnotics tests, possible solutions" rather than the presentational 3
column table structure of the paper technical manuals.

Then there is the problem of how you want to walk the user through this
tree.  IETMs do this - but possibly an xhtml solution where the pages are
generated from the logic tree is possible as well.  You can visualize
starting with some sort of xforms page that lists all the possible problems,
and based on what the user checks off, go to other pages that asks questions
to narrow the possible causes and solutions presented to the user.

If the data is very dynamic, or evolves over time, certainly having a
solution driven by the logic in the data is preferable to embedding the
logic directly in xhtml code.

Cheers....Hugh
CyberSpace Industries 2000 Inc.
XML Training and Consulting

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sam Carleton" <scarleton@miltonstreet.com>
To: "xml-dev" <xml-dev@lists.xml.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2007 8:15 AM
Subject: [xml-dev] XML based wiazrd


>I need to develop a Wizard.  It will be some what complex with many
> final destinations, based on how the user answers questions.  My
> thought was that I could map this out the whole thing in XML, having
> one question with the possible answers, and then in each answer have
> the next question and so on.
>
> I asked on another forum and someone recommended IETM (Interactive
> Electronic Technical Manual).  From what I have been able to tell it
> is a SGML format used by the military for trouble shooting manuals.
> It seems to be VERY involved (especially being SGML, which I don't
> know yet) and I am not finding any frameworks out there to quickly and
> easily display the information.
>
> Does anyone have any other suggestions?
>
> I am sure you are wondering if this is a web app or a GUI app, the
> answer is: YES, it is both.  Initially I need it in the GUI piece, but
> I have no problem doing in HTML and putting it into an embedded
> browser.  The GUI does fire up Apache, so I could point the embedded
> browser at the web server for a complete web solution.  The embedded
> browser will have to be Gecko (the Firefox browser) so I believe I
> will be able to use things like the xform extension to Firefox, etc.
>
> Sam
>
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