Finding element styling in the XSLs that format PDF output

[sgrayson]

It seems like there are multiple XSLs that effect PDF output. What is the best process for determining which XSLs are used for PDF output? Does the XMetaL UI have some way of easily editing these files so that element formats can be easily changed? The process I'm using seems quite clumsy so I'm assuming I'm doing something wrong since changing formatting is important to get right.

Thanks,
Steve
@Amazon

[Su-Laine Yeo]

A good place to start is with the parameters that XMetaL provides for adjusting PDF output. If what you need to do can be done via a parameter, it will probably be easier than editing XSL. See here: http://na.justsystems.com/webhelp/en/xmetalauthor/enterprise/6.0/XMEE.html#Appendix%20D:%20Configuring%20PDF%20output

If you want to modify anything in the Open Toolkit folder, be sure to read this first to make sure you're working in the right folder: http://forums.xmetal.com/index.php/topic,939.0.html

XMetaL does not have a UI for editing XSL files. There are various good third-party applications for editing XSL, or you could use a free text editor such as Notepad++.

Regarding PDF customization in general, there is a good whitepaper here: www.scriptorium.com/whitepapers/ditaotpdf/DITA-PDF-tweaks.pdf . Note that the folder for customizing "XMetaL Enhanced PDF" output is demo/xmfo, not demo/fo.

Good luck!
Su-Laine

[sgrayson]

Great information! Thank you, Su-Laine.