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Using the power of Desktop Publishing, today's publishers can quickly and efficiently produce printed
Directories or Buyers Guides in any number of formats. Desktop publishing can also be used by
publishers to create Questionnaires for use in data gathering. To help publishers take advantage
of this power, the Pathways Database Publisher provides a mechanism for creating interface files
that contain "markup" information that is recognized and acted upon by a desktop publisher. Currently,
the Pathways system supports generation of interface files for several of the leading desktop publishing
packages, including:
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To aid publishers in creating these "markup" files, the Pathways system provides a facility that
allows publishers to create "templates" or "recipes" that describe how output files are to be generated.
Once templates are created, publishers can use them to generate interface files for any of the desktop
publishers that are supported. This feature allows publishers to use the desktop publishing software
that best fits their unique needs. It also allows publishers to experiment with various desktop publishers
without requiring changes to the templates used for page generation.
Using templates, the Pathways
Database Publisher can create desktop publishing interface files containing "markup" information such
as:
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Style Tags: When information is extracted using templates, each piece of data that is to be extracted
will be assigned a style tag. Once the interface file has been imported into the selected desktop publisher,
the various style tags can be assigned attributes that define the presentation format for the associated
data. These attributes include such things as the font style, size and color as well as whether
the data is to be bolded, italicized or underlined.
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Order of Data Presentation: Pathways templates also allow publishers to define the data that is
to be presented, as well as the order of presentation for the data. It is possible that some data may
be held in the database for purposes other than presentation in a printed product. Since it is often
necessary for data to be sorted before it can be presented, the Pathways system allows publishers to
define sortation criteria.
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Data Formatting: Using templates, publishers can define how data is to be formatted for presentation.
Formatting options available include upshifting, downshifting, word capitalization, as well as many forms
of custom formatting such as phone number hyphenation. Code translation criteria can also be defined
to present information using descriptive verbiage rather than using codes as may be carried in the actual
database.
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Index Entries: Templates can also be used to define information that is to be used for generation
of indices. If a selected desktop publisher does not support generation of indices, the index definition
information is simply ignored when the interface file is generated. The Pathways system allows for generation
of multiple indices for those desktop publishers that support these types of indices. Once the desktop
publishing software has created the actual index file, the Pathways system can read the generated index
file and post page numbers back into the Pathways database records. Once page numbers have been "back
posted" into the database, publishers can use this additional information to generate new cross indices
or references to specific page numbers containing related information.
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Frame Anchors: Templates may be developed that allow users to define positions within the text
where "frame anchors" are to be placed. These frame anchors are useful in aiding publishers in the placement
of ads, product graphics, logos and so forth. When the desktop publisher is selected during interface
file generation, frame anchoring markup is simply ignored if the selected desktop publisher does not
support frame anchoring functions.
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Table Definitions: Templates may be used to define data that is to be presented in a tabular format
by the desktop publisher. Currently, the Pathways system supports definition of all table elements for
Corel's Ventura desktop publisher. These elements include:
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Number of Columns to be presented.
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Types of Grid Lines to be used.
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Cell Widths, Colors, and Shading.
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Column Headings and Sub-headings.
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Questionnaire Generation: Publishers can also use desktop publishing templates to generate interface
files that will be used to produce questionnaire forms. Often, publishers would like to create questionnaires
containing information already known from previous year's directory listings. The Pathways system gives
publishers this capability. When creating questionnaires from the Pathways system, publishers may report
all known information about a company while providing space for new information that is being requested.
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Internet Files: Understanding that publishers want to present their directory information in formats
other than printed products, the Pathways system now provides a facility for generation of files that
can be viewed on the Internet World Wide Web.
Files can be created from the Pathways system
for use on the World Wide Web by developing templates that will place the necessary HTML markup information
into the interface file. Currently the Pathways system supports the HTML 2.0 markup standard.
When
generating files that are to be placed on the World Wide Web, the Pathways system can provide the necessary
HTML markup for the following functions:
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Style tags for headings, paragraphs and various
character highlight enhancements.
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Inclusion of In-Line Graphic Images.
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Hyperlinks to addresses within the same HTML file.
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Hyperlinks to external URL addresses.
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Hyperlinks to E-mail addresses.
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Various list options including Unordered Lists,
Ordered Lists, Directory Lists, and Discursive
Lists.
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CD-Rom/FOLIO Views Interface: The Pathways system now includes routines that allow publishers
to create interface files with markup information needed for generation of CD-Rom products using Folio
Views software.
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