Example Element Validation window
The validation of any Structured document requires a defined set of rules for that particular document type. For valid XML documents, the DTD is used to define the grammar for the family of documents being edited.
This section presents how FrameMaker handles this validation. While the purpose of a DTD is still true, Adobe has developed their own format known as the EDD.
While EDDs contain document grammar rules in a format that is quite similar to DTDs, FrameMaker's rules also include document styling information. This is done as opposed to using a separate style sheet. This report will not go into details on the DTD or EDD. The discussion is limited to how a Structured document is validated in FrameMaker.
The following figure shows the Element Validation window which is open using the Element pull-down menu. In this case, the entire document has been validated.
FrameMaker's Validation supports the following features:
Level of Validation
Entire Document
Current Flow (Element and it's children)
Single Element (excluding any children)
Ignore Missing Data including:
Elements
Attributes
Define and Clear Special Cases (i.e. exceptions) for the document's rules
If an error occurs during validation the following window would be opened. The window states the Element with a problem and a hint to what might be the issue.
The Structure window also shows invalid conditions within the document. In this case RED markers are used to show an error such as a missing or "out-of- order" Element.
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Editorial: The Structure window is very useful to track errors as the document is edited. |