Document Type Sharing

Oxygen XML Author allows you to share the customizations for a specific XML type by creating your own Document Type in the Document Type Association preferences page.

A document type can be shared between authors as follows:

• Save it externally in a separate framework folder in the [OXYGEN_DIR]/frameworks directory.

  Important: For this approach to work, have the application installed to a folder with full write access.

  Please follow these steps:

  1. Go to [OXYGEN_DIR]/frameworks and create a directory for your new framework (name it for example custom_framework). This directory will contain resources for your framework (CSS files, new file templates, schemas used for validation, catalogs). See the DocBook framework structure from the [OXYGEN_DIR]/frameworks/docbook as an example.
  2. Create your custom document type and save it externally, in the custom_framework directory.
  3. Configure the custom document type according to your needs, take special care to make all file references relative to the [OXYGEN_DIR]/frameworks directory by using the ${frameworks} editor variable. The Author Developer Guide contains all details necessary for creating and configuring a new document type.
  4. If everything went fine then you should have a new configuration file saved in: [OXYGEN_DIR]/frameworks/custom_framework/custom.framework after the Preferences are saved.
  5. Then, to share the new framework directory with other users, have them copy it to their [OXYGEN_DIR]/frameworks directory. The new document type will be available in the list of Document Types when Oxygen XML Author starts.
     Note: In case you have a frameworks directory stored on your local drive, you can also go to the Document Type Association > Locations preferences page and add your frameworks directory in the Additional frameworks directories list.

• Save the document type at project level in the Document Type Association preferences page.

  Please see the following steps:

  1. On your local drive, create a directory with full write access, containing the Oxygen XML Author project file and associated document type resources (CSS files, new file templates, schemas used for validation, catalogs).
  2. Start Oxygen XML Author, go to the Project view and create a project. Save it in the newly created directory.
  3. In the Document Type Association preferences page, select Project Options at the bottom of the page.
  4. Create your custom document type using the default internal storage for it. It will actually be saved in the previously chosen Oxygen XML Author project .xpr file.
  5. Configure the custom document type according to your needs, take special care to make all file references relative to the project directory by using the ${pd} editor variable. The Author Developer Guide contains all details necessary for creating and configuring a new document type.
  6. You can then share the new project directory with other users. When they open the customized project file in the Project view, the new document type becomes available in the list of Document Types.

• Deploy your document type configuration as an add-on.