DITA, HTML5, and EPUB3 (Content Agility, June 2013)
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The document outlines the significance of delivering DITA-based content to devices through formats like HTML5 and EPUB3, highlighting the shift in publishing from print to digital as eBook sales outpace traditional books. It discusses the advantages of HTML5, EPUB3's features, and the necessity for publishers to adapt digital-first practices to meet evolving consumer needs. Additionally, it emphasizes automation in digital production and the suitability of DITA for effective content delivery across various platforms.
DITA, HTML5, and EPUB3 (Content Agility, June 2013)
- 1. DITA, HTML5, and EPUB3 Delivering DITA-based content to devices
- 2. Agenda • Why do we care? • The state of the technology: EPUB, HTML5, DITA • Adaptive presentation • Production options • Some demos
- 3. About the Author • Founding member of the DITA TC • Founding member of the XML Working Group • Creator and primary contributor to the DITA for Publishers open-source project, which provides DITA-to-EPUB and DITA- to-HTML5 transforms • Been doing SGML- and XML-stuff for a very long time • For last 10 years have worked primarily with Publishers • [email protected], http://contrext.com
- 4. SOME DEMOS Contrext, LLC 4Content Agility, June 2013
- 5. WHY DO WE CARE? Contrext, LLC 5Content Agility, June 2013
- 6. Devices are the Future • Everyone has a tablet or a smart phone • Ebook sales have or soon will exceed paper book sales volume and revenue: ―The Association of American Publishers reported that in the first quarter of 2012, adult eBook sales were up to $282.3 million while adult hardcover sales came to only $229.6 million. In last year's first quarter, hardcover sales accounted for $223 million in sales while eBooks logged $220.4 million.‖ —zdnet.com, 18 June 2012 • Interactivity and media can improve task support • All the cool kids are doing it Contrext, LLC 6Content Agility, June 2013
- 7. HTML5 Makes Things Easier • Modern navigation and interaction features • Modern appearance • Improved typography • Adapts better to different browsers and devices • Reduced reliance on proprietary plugins and viewers • More manageable media delivery Contrext, LLC 7Content Agility, June 2013
- 8. EPUB3 Looks to the Future • Intended to support HTML5 features in reading systems and devices • Gives Publishers a fixed-layout option and embedded fonts • Enables standards-based synchronization of text and speech • Enables and encourages accessibility features Contrext, LLC 8Content Agility, June 2013
- 9. Digital is More than Just Web Sites • For TechDoc, online delivery has always been a primary requirement and goal – Online help – HTML for manuals • For Publishers, digital delivery usually an afterthought – Digital produced from print (PDF or InDesign) – Digital expensive and time-consuming to produce – High chance of error Contrext, LLC 9Content Agility, June 2013
- 10. Publishers Need Digital First • No longer viable to treat digital as an after- the-fact • Digital production needs to be addressed early in editorial and production cycles • Requires XML-as-early-as-possible workflows • Requires changes to editorial and production practice and tools Contrext, LLC 10Content Agility, June 2013
- 11. TechDoc Needs Device Delivery • Manuals readable on devices • Task support information optimized for device delivery (HTML help, etc.) • Interactive training and assessment • Adaptive delivery for hearing and visually impaired (ADA requirements in the U.S.) Contrext, LLC 11Content Agility, June 2013
- 12. Assumption: Automate Production • Making a basic assumption… • …that production of digital deliverables should be automated from the content source wherever possible • Lights-out generation of EPUB, Web sites, embedded applications • Implies use of XML as content source Contrext, LLC 12Content Agility, June 2013
- 13. EPUB, HTML5, AND DITA Contrext, LLC 13Content Agility, June 2013
- 14. EPUB Contrext, LLC 14Content Agility, June 2013
- 15. EPUB • Current version is EPUB3 (approved Nov 2011) • Previous version was EPUB2 • All readers support EPUB2 more or less completely (Amazon Kindle via conversion) • EPUB3 support is spotty at best – iBooks – Readium – Google Play Books – AZARDI Contrext, LLC 15Content Agility, June 2013
- 16. EPUB3 Design Goals • Reflect latest Web technologies – HTML5 – CSS3 – SVG – MathML • Get HTML5 goodness for optimized presentation on devices • Enable fixed-layout publications Contrext, LLC 16Content Agility, June 2013
- 17. EPUB3 Details • Uses HTML5 – HTML5-style navigation – <video> and <audio> for media – Reading systems may support JavaScript for interaction – SMIL for media and text syncronization (overlays) • CSS3 profile enables more sophisticated styling • Support for embedded fonts now required • SVG is now a core content type: can reference from the spine (fixed-layout publications) Contrext, LLC 17Content Agility, June 2013
- 18. EPUB3 and EPUB2 • EPUB3 books may contain EPUB2-specific components – .ncx for navigation – <guide/> • Allows EPUB3 to be read by EPUB2 readers • For example, all O’Reilly EPUBS are EPUB3 with EPUB2 fallbacks. Contrext, LLC 18Content Agility, June 2013
- 19. EPUB Practicalities • May need to have different EPUBs for different channels • Embedded fonts may require obfuscation • Embedded fonts benefit from subsetting • Many small bugs in different EPUB readers that have to be understood and worked around • Need different video formats for iBooks, Android-based readers Contrext, LLC 19Content Agility, June 2013
- 20. HTML5 Contrext, LLC 20Content Agility, June 2013
- 21. HTML5 the Standard • W3C recommendation-track activity • Design is settling down after some initial chaos • On target for recommendation in 2014 • W3C pushing controversial parts out to separate specifications to keep things moving Contrext, LLC 21Content Agility, June 2013
- 22. HTML5 Technology • Markup vocabulary appears to be reasonably stable • Lots of available JavaScript libraries • Well supported in latest browsers – SVG support seems to be pretty good – MathML not 100% in any browser – MathJax JavaScript library can be used in any JavaScriptable browser • Not likely to have a single standard video format any time soon Contrext, LLC 22Content Agility, June 2013
- 23. What is HTML5? • Vocabulary + Document Model + API + CSS + JavaScript • Vocabulary adds some key semantic structures to HTML – <nav> – <section> – <article> – <figure> • CSS and scripting provide layout and interaction • Document model and scripting API attempt to standardize browser behavior Contrext, LLC 23Content Agility, June 2013
- 24. HTML5 Requires JavaScript • Most of what we think of as “HTML5” is scripting applied to markup in the browser • Can leverage existing libraries but not in all cases • May require significant custom JavaScript development depending on requirements • For multi-device, multi-browser delivery have to think carefully about fallback and graceful degredation Contrext, LLC 24Content Agility, June 2013
- 25. HTML Can Drive Apps • HTML5 can be used as underpinning of standalone apps • EPUB3 with scripting is effectively an app • HTML5 may not be suitable or practical for all types of apps • But apps can be engineered to consume HTML5 markup or something similar Contrext, LLC 25Content Agility, June 2013
- 26. DITA AND ADAPTIVE DELIVERY Contrext, LLC 26Content Agility, June 2013
- 27. DITA is All About Digital • DITA was designed originally and optimized for digital delivery • Well suited to HTML5 and EPUB delivery models • Has what’s needed for TechDoc content • Needed to have Publishing requirements added • DITA for Publishers project provides Publishing-specific requirements • Also adding some Publishing-driven features in DITA 1.3: – Inline SVG and MathML – Cross-deliverable linking – Small but important content model extensions Contrext, LLC 27Content Agility, June 2013
- 28. DITA-to-HTML5 and EPUB Options • Several HTML5 generation options: – DITA for Publishers HTML5 transform – SuiteSolutions SuiteHelp – oXygenXML WebHelp transform – Other commercial solutions • DITA for Publishers provides EPUB transform – Currently EPUB2 – EPUB3 under development (builds on HTML5 transform) Contrext, LLC 28Content Agility, June 2013
- 29. DITA to EPUB Fixed Layout • Nothing out-of-the-box as of June 2013 • Several possible options: – XSL-FO to XHTML+CSS with absolute positioning – DITA to InDesign to fixed-layout EPUB – PDF-to-XHTML+CSS with absolute positioning • Implementation will be driven by client requirements Contrext, LLC 29Content Agility, June 2013
- 30. SOME DEMOS Contrext, LLC 30Content Agility, June 2013
- 31. EPUB3 • AZARDI samples – Emphasize layout and interaction capabilities of AZARDI reader – will mostly work in any JavaScript-capable reader (iBooks, Google Play, Readium) • IDPF samples: http://code.google.com/p/epub-samples/ – Test case and feature demonstrations Contrext, LLC 31Content Agility, June 2013
- 32. HTML5 • DITA for Practitioners – D4P HTML5 transform – oXygenXML WebHelp transform Contrext, LLC 32Content Agility, June 2013
- 33. Questions? • Resources – Me: [email protected], http://contrext.com – DITA • DITA For Publishers: http://dita4publishers.sourceforge.net • SuiteSolutions: http://suitesol.com • oXygenXML: http://oxygenxml.com – EPUB: • http://idpf.org – HTML5: • http://w3c.org/html5 • HTML samples site Contrext, LLC 33Content Agility, June 2013