DJDE file to PDF

[Marcelo]

Hi Guys,

I have the following question.

I have a Xerox DJDE File that I want to convert to PDF.

I was thinking about generating a XML file from the DJDE file, then use
a XSLT file to generate a XSL:FO file and use a XSL:FO processor to
create de PDF file.

I'm really new with this, so I'd like to know if anybody knows programs
(preferable free) or the process involved in this transformation, I
mean if you know about any of this issues:

1- The way to generate a XML file from a DJDE file. I'm thinking about
develop a program to do this, but I think is not a very easy task.

2- The way to generate the XSLT file with the information gathered from
the DJDE file. or a way to create a XSLT file from any kind of
specification.

3- The way to generate the XSL:FO using the XML and the XSLT file. I
mean some application to use.

4- And a way to generate the PDF File from the XSL:FO. I think I can
use FOP but I don't know another way.

Any further information/consideration I must know about this process.

I think 2 and 3 are more related to this forum but I ask 1 and 4 too,
because maybe someone has knowledge about this issues too.

THANKS A LOT for any help about this issue.



Regards,

Marcelo

[Peter Flynn]

Marcelo wrote:

1- The way to generate a XML file from a DJDE file. I'm thinking about
develop a program to do this, but I think is not a very easy task.
This is probably the hardest bit. I'm not familiar with the format of a
DJDE file, but if it's proprietary you'll have to buy the format
description from Rank Xerox. There appear to be a number of conversion
programs on the market (Google for "djde file format") which might be
a faster way to get XML.
2- The way to generate the XSLT file with the information gathered
from the DJDE file. or a way to create a XSLT file from any kind of
specification.
You can generate a skeleton file of XSLT templates (rules for each
element type) from the XML document (there are several little XSLT
routines you can download to do this), but you'll still have to write
the code for what you want each template to *do*, so generating an XSLT
file is not usually much more than a 10-minute convenience time-saver.
3- The way to generate the XSL:FO using the XML and the XSLT file. I
mean some application to use.
4- And a way to generate the PDF File from the XSL:FO. I think I can
use FOP but I don't know another way.

These usually go together. There are lots of commercial products to do
this. AFAIK, fop is the only completely free one. You don't use XSLT:
the language for generating FO is XSL.

If you know LaTeX, however, you can use XSLT to generate LaTeX source
code and use that to create your PDF. LaTeX is free (www.tug.org) but
it's an additional learning curve unless you're already a user.

///Peter
--
XML FAQ: http://xml.silmaril.ie/

[Marcelo]

Thanks a lot Peter for your answer.

I will check it out
Regards,

Marcelo