referencing image files in docbook

Hi,

Sean Champ writes:
 > 
 > Hello,
 > 
 > while putting RefDB into some debian packages (more info about this
 > should be forthcoming, after I get the packaging worked-out), I was
 > building the sgml  manual from source, and I noticed a problem with
 > how the sgml 'figure' elements were being translated into html.
 > 
 > I'm not sure what was used to build the html manual that you have
 > online , but with the docbook-utils and docbook-dsssl-stylesheets on
 > my debian/sid  box, this wasn't handled as I think it was expected to
 > be, in the html DSSSL stylesheets:
 > 
 > 	<figure float="0" id="figure-threetier">
 > 	  <title>&appname; three-tier architecture</title>
 > 	  <graphic fileref="refdbmanualfig1"></graphic>
 > 	</figure>
 > 
 > 
 > Given a file name with no extension, in the graphic/@fileref, it uses
 > exactly that in the final HTML:  <img src="refdbmanualfig1"> 
 > 
 > It worked-out alright with the postcript output, though, even so.
 > 

I'm using mean tricks, of course ;-). I use driver files for both the
html and printed output to make it look a little nicer. The html
driver file sets the default image extension to .png, among other
things. Please find the driver files attached below.

 > 
 > Now, when it's done like this, it works out alright in the html, and
 > the postscript, both:
 > 
 > 	<figure float="0" id="figure-threetier">
 > 	  <title>&appname; three-tier architecture</title>
 > 	  <mediaobject>
 > 	    <imageobject>
 > 	      <imagedata fileref="refdbmanualfig1.png">
 > 	    </imageobject>
 > 	    <imageobject>
 > 	      <imagedata fileref="refdbmanualfig1.eps" format="EPS">
 > 	    </imageobject>
 > 	  </mediaobject>
 > 	</figure>
 > 
 > the format="" attribute may be optional, but it's bettter to include
 > it and not leave the processor guessing. It can't very well be
 > included for the png file, though, when using the docbook 3.1 dtd --
 > docbook 3.1, apparently,  has no  'token' (?) definition for PNG
 > (docbook 4.2 does, though).
 > 

This is going to work. The only drawback (if there is one) is that you
can't switch over all images to a different format without editing the
sources.

 > So, if this makes sense, I could go through and edit the *.sgml files
 > that have 'figure' elements, and maybe even change the doctype
 > declarations for all the files,  for using docbook 4.2, and submit a 
 > diff. (Otherwise, I'll end up keeping a diff anyway, heh, for the
 > debian packages)
 > 
 > 

Basically I don't mind if you want to send the patches. I guess
working with driver files is not trivial with the docbook-utils, is
it? If not, your way of hardcoding may be preferable.

Switching over to 4.2 is ok anyway. I was just too lazy to do this
yet.

BTW if you're serious about packaging, we should coordinate this
effort a little. E.g. the last official release is quite buggy. All
these problems have been fixed in a 0.9.4-pre1 prerelease which would
be a better candidate for packaging. And let me know if you run into
other problems. I'll be happy to lend a hand.

regards,
Markus


-- 
Markus Hoenicka
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