1. Producing offline publications using an online production system and xml
Alain Nadeau Luxembourg, Eurostat XML Task Force of the Dissemination Working Group

2. Current state of affairs
Current situation at SFO largely similar to that of Eurostat, as described in Draft of :
Word processing systems not optimal
Content reuse problematic
Collaboration & versioning burdensome
Multilingualism brings added complications
Workflows Author → print and Author → online are mismatched
Collaboration DWH, DTP & CMS still problematic

3. Current publication processes
In essence, similar to traditional model

4. Current presentation Authors DTP PDF Authors Web DB CD-Roms
MS-Office
InDesign
(Content masters)
Authors
Web
Browser
CMS DB
xml
CD-Roms

5. FSO web output, in a nutshell
CMS DB
Data
Metadata
Files (xls/pdf)
Grosso modo: production based on « traditional » CMS & DB systems

6. Same sources used for CDs
CMS DB
Data
Metadata
Files (xls/pdf)
xml
SFO CDs are « Mini webs to go », easily excerpted from the central production system.

7. Example: Statistical Yearbook
Portal DB
SQL / XML Channels
xsl / xsl:fo / xml:include
Production of navigation structure
Collection of files and their metadata
Search, filters
javascript arrays (for search engine)
csv data files
metadata
The actual files (pdf / xls)
And all html files

8. Next steps
CD production is a simple implementation of xml possibilities but has had many advantages for the FSO:
More authors are getting familiar with xml in an easy and productive way, thus building up a group of xml-aware and xml-competent dissemination specialists;
This will facilitate the acceptance of complete and vertically integrated xml-based production systems in the near future, wheren major next-generation systems will be implemented;
Time is running fast: urgent to think about standards, best pratices, tools and, especially, metadata and information management strategies

9. The future?
The Eurostat Draft correctly identifies grey areas in this model and raises central questions;
A wide acceptance of xml technologies in the publication processes is at risk unless we come up with answers and agree on standards;