[Fwd: formatting tools for Docbook]

[Chuck Robey]

This is a delayed reposting of something that I might have sent to an 
initially poorly chosen list;  if it still gets no reponse in another 
day, I  might try again, if I can figure out a better FreeBSD list to 
choose.  My predilection for FreeBSD is strong, I would really dislike 
to be forced to jump to Linux (or, god forbid, to Windows) for this 
infomation, about using the various FreeBSD ports tools to get to the 
ability to format docbook materials.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	formatting tools for Docbook
Date: 	Mon, 12 Jun 2006 16:31:58 -0400
From: 	Chuck Robey <chuckr at chuckr.org>
To: 	FreeBSD-ports at freebsd.org



I am aware that there is more than a single set of tools that mgiht 
possibly be used to format Xml-docbook into html, pdf, and ascii, so I 
want to ask the advice of those FreeBSD'ers who have actually begun 
using docbook to format their own personal documents.  You see, I have a 
very lnog-term history of usage of Groff-'s MM macros for my document 
formatting tasks, but I want to move to a more modern set of tools.  
That is specifically (today) docbook-4.[latest], and tomorrow is 
docbook-5.[latest].

I really would want, if possible, to avoid using any dsssl-based 
toolset.  If there is a toolset that uses only libxml* based tools, that 
would really be the best, but I would be willing to consider adding in 
Java-based tools.

One more item, if I can take you that far (or maybe, I;m admitting that
if you answer this, I will be following it up with a small set of
questions regarding the installation of docbook catalogs, and the
installation paths I will be using (so if I must do any document
patching, which I don't know enough about yet to predict, I can do that).

Once I get it working under Java, you see, I am convinced I coudl (using 
a smallish postscript helper file) craft a toolset that no longer needs 
Java at all, but I need a working toolset before I can make that jump.  
Help me, please!

Again, if you aren;'t using docbook yourself, pass this up, please, I 
only want to hear from those using the tools themselves, on the FreeBSD 
lists.