Opening and closing documents

As with most editing applications, <oXygen/> lets you open existing documents, save your changes and close them as required.

 Creating new documents

  The New dialog

<oXygen/> supports a large number of document types. This dialog presents the default associations between a file extension and the type of editor which opens the file for editing. You can override these default associations in the File Types user preferences panel.

The New dialog only creates a skeleton document containing the document prolog, a root element and possibly other child elements depending on the options specific for each schema type. If you need to generate full and valid XML instance documents based on an XML Schema schema you should use the XML instance generation tool instead.

Use the following procedure to create documents.

 

Procedure 4.1. Creating new documents

  1. Select FileNew (Ctrl+N) or press the New toolbar button. The New dialog is displayed which contains the supported Document Types: XML, XSL, XML Schema, Document Type Definition, Relax NG Schema, XQuery, Web Services Definition Language, Schematron Schema, CSS File, Text File, PHP File, JavaScript File, Java File, C File, C++ File, Batch File, Shell File, Properties File, SQL File and PERL File.

     

    Figure 4.4. The New dialog

    The New dialog

  2. Select a document type, then click OK. If XML was selected the "Create an XML Document" dialog is displayed otherwise a new document is opened in the Editor Panel.

  3. The Create an XML Document dialog enables definition of a XML Document Prolog using the system identifier of a XML Schema, DTD, Relax NG (full or compact syntax) schema, NRL (Namespace Routing Language) or NVDL (Namespace-based Validation Dispatching Language) schema. As not all XML documents are required to have a Prolog, you may choose to skip this step by clicking OK. If the prolog is required complete the fields as the following.

     

    Figure 4.5. The Create an XML Document Dialog - XML Schema Tab

    The Create an XML Document Dialog - XML Schema Tab

    Complete the dialog as follows:

    Use a DTD or a schema

    When checked enables selection between DTD, XML Schema, Relax NG schema, NRL or NVDL schema.

    URL

    Specifies the location of an XML Schema Document (XSD). >

    You can also specify an URI if it is solved by the <oXygen/> catalog.

     

    Example 4.1. DITA XSD URI

    urn:oasis:names:tc:dita:xsd:topic.xsd:1.1


    Namespace

    Specifies the document namespace.

    Prefix

    Specifies the prefix for the namespace of the document root.

    Document Root

    Populated from the elements defined in the specified XSD, enables selection of the element to be used as document root.

    Description

    Shows a small definition for the currently selected element.

     

    Figure 4.6. The Create an XML Document Dialog - DTD Tab

    The Create an XML Document Dialog - DTD Tab

    Complete the dialog as follows:

    Use a DTD or a schema

    When checked enables selection between DTD, XML Schema, Relax NG schema, NRL or NVDL schema.

    System ID

    Specifies the location of a Document Type Definition (DTD).

    Public ID

    Specifies the PUBLIC identifier declared in the Prolog.

    Document Root

    Populated from the elements defined in the specified DTD, enables selection of the element to be used as document root.

    Description

    Shows a small definition for the currently selected element.

     

    Figure 4.7. The Create an XML Document Dialog - Relax NG Tab

    The Create an XML Document Dialog - Relax NG Tab

    Complete the dialog as follows:

    Use a DTD or a schema

    When checked enables selection between DTD, XML Schema, Relax NG schema NRL or NVDL schema.

    URL

    Specifies the location of a Relax NG schema in XML or compact syntax (RNG/RNC).

    XML syntax

    When checked the specified URL refers to a Relax NG schema in XML syntax. It will be checked automatically if the user selects a document with the .rng extension.

    Compact syntax

    When checked the specified URL refers to a Relax NG schema in compact syntax. It will be checked automatically if the user selects a document with the .rnc extension.

    Namespace

    Specifies the document namespace.

    Prefix

    Specifies the prefix for the namespace of the document root.

    Document Root

    Populated from the elements defined in the specified RNG or RNC document, enables selection of the element to be used as document root.

    Description

    Shows a small definition for the currently selected element.

     

    Figure 4.8. The Create an XML Document Dialog - NRL Tab

    The Create an XML Document Dialog - NRL Tab

    Complete the dialog as follows:

    Use a DTD or a schema

    When checked enables selection between DTD, XML Schema, Relax NG schema, NRL or NVDL schema.

    URL

    Specifies the location of a NRL schema (NRL).

     

    Figure 4.9. The Create an XML Document Dialog - NVDL Tab

    The Create an XML Document Dialog - NVDL Tab

    Complete the dialog as follows:

    Use a DTD or a schema

    When checked enables selection between DTD, XML Schema, Relax NG schema, NRL or NVDL schema.

    URL

    Specifies the location of a Namespace-based Validation Dispatching Language schema (NVDL).

    Namespace

    Specifies the document namespace.

    Prefix

    Specifies the prefix for the namespace of the document root.

    Document Root

    Populated from the elements defined in the specified NVDL document, enables selection of the element to be used as document root.

    Description

    Shows a small definition for the currently selected element.

 Creating Documents based on Templates

Templates are documents containing a predefined structure. They provide starting points on which one can rapidly build new documents that repeat the same basic characteristics. <oXygen/> installs a rich set of templates for a number of XML applications. You may also create your own templates and share them with other users.

The Templates tab in New dialog enables you to select predefined templates or templates that have already been created in previous sessions or by other users. Open a template using the following options:

 

Figure 4.10. The Templates tab

The Templates tab

The templates presented in the dialog are:

Document Types templates

Templates supplied with the defined document types.

User defined templates

The user can add template files in the templates folder of the <oXygen/> install directory. Also in the option page OptionsPreferences+Editor / Templates / Document TemplatesWindow Preferences+oXygen/Editor / Templates / Document Templates can be specified a custom templates folder to be scanned.

 

Procedure 4.2. Creating Documents based on Templates

  1. Select File New / From Templates. The Templates tab is displayed and is used to select and open a new document based on an existing template document. Template documents act as starting points that have predefined properties such as file type, prolog, root element, containers and even existing content.

  2. Scroll the Templates list and select the required Template Type.

  3. Click OK. A new document is opened that already contains structure and content provided in the template starting point.