Dennis Hoyland BA, MBA

1
Dennis Hoyland BA, MBA

• Assistant Director
• Corporate Technical Services
• Technical Documentation
• MODUK
• Chairman AECMA 1000D TPSMG
• dhoyland_at_gtnet.gov.uk

2
Aims

• To
• Understand where AECMA 1000D is going,
• Look at work already done and assumptions made,
• Examine the way forward
• Make a suggestion on how the work should be
  developed.

3
Tech doc process
4
Data Module Standards

• Management data SGML
• (originator, date, DMC ... )

IDENT STATUS

• Text SGML
• Illustrations CCITT gr4,Jpeg
• TIFF, CGM ..

CONTENT
5
Data Types

• Descriptive Information
• Procedural Information
• Schedule Information
• Fault information,
• Illustrated Parts Data
• Aircrew information
• Wiring data

6
Exchange process

• The digital exchange of DM is based on 2 process
• MIL STD 1840 (C)
• or File based transfer
• The exchange procedures include also the
  definition and management of sgml instances
  attached with the exchange
• DDN Data Dispatch Note
• DML Data Module List (combines DMRL (Data
  Module Requirement List and CSL (CSDB Status
  List) functionalities)
• IPRF In process Review Form

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Aecma 1000D Standards
8
Publication building process
Common Source Data Base AECMA 1000D scope
Publication (neutral form SGML-XML...) AECMA
1000D scope
Proprietary form Publication NOT within the
AECMA 1000D scope (except some generic GUI rules)
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IETP types

• IETP-L (Linearly structure),
• IETP-D (Database structured),
• IETP-I (Database structured, Fully Integrated
  with other applications)
• IETP-H (HTML structured, WEB Delivery)
• IETP-X (Xml orientated)
• This doesnt refer to IETM classes as
• Existing ETPs/IETPs generally span classes
• Classes exist to aid understanding, they were
  not designed for contractual use

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WEB approach for IETPs

• Why
• AECMA 1000D Data Module modular approach is well
  suited to the WEB
• The WEB is a functional delivery medium.
• Web Viewing Technology is available, inexpensive,
  widely used and easy to enhance
• Most vendors are interested in Web products
  (bigger market)

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Spec 1000D DTDs and IETPs IETP-Html

• Advantage
• HTML can be output from SGML, using most SGML
  authoring packages.
• Data Modules are kept as separate objects
• Enhanced mechanism of links by (URL/HREF)
• Disadvantages
• Conversion required
• loose structure
• Links limitations (no multiple endpoint)

12
Spec 1000D DTDs and IETPs IETP-XML

• Advantages
• Data Modules as Separate Objects (Network
  compatible)
• Enhanced linking mechanism i.e. URL/HREF/Hytime
  links (X-LINK)
• No real conversion required from SGML to XML
• Maintains the Structure of information
• Disadvantages
• unsure linking and style specifications (today)
• If Web Browsers will support consistently

BEWARE
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Spec 1000D DTDs and IETPs IETP-X Design
principles

• IETP-X shall be easy to implement and use usable
  over Intranet / Internet
• IETP-X shall be usable by a wide variety of
  Browsers
• The IETP-X links description language shall be
  Xlink-Xpointer
• The IETP-X shall be prepared quickly
• IETP-X must be feasible to implement

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Spec 1000D DTDs and IETPs Aecma roadmap on IETP-X

• Work on IETP-XML has already taken place.
• This has to be achieve quickly
• Formal draft is now available

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New specification structure
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New specification structureChapters

• 1 Introduction
• 2 Documentation process
• 3 Information generation
• 4 Information management
• 5 Information sets
• 6 Information presentation/use
• 7 Information processing

• 8 Terms - Data dictionary - MI codes
• 9 Style guide
• 11 Air vehicle
• 12 Land systems
• 13 Sea systems

Documentation Process
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New specification structureChapter 12 and 13
Chapter 12 Land systems
Chapter 13 Sea systems
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Road map for future work
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Interoperability

• What does it mean for technical documentation
• Share data ?
• View each others data accurately ?
• Share data and view accurately ?
• View each others data on different systems
  accurately and as the author intended

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Data

• Why do we need different data standards e.g.
  SGML, HTML,XML, PDF, Word processed files etc.
• Because they are there ?
• Because nobody wishes to standardise ?
• Conversion is expensive ?
• We cannot see the payback ?

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Europe

• AECMA has standardised on SGML. Why
• Multinational projects
• Data passing between constituent members
• Data held in multiple places
• Many nations involved
• Different cultures
• Multi-Language
• Translation easier (simplified English)

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USA

• Why has USA adopted an open door policy to data
• Costs for conversion would be high
• Data can be encapsulated in one system
• Difficulty in getting all parties to agree
• Tends to be one organisation?
• One language?

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WWW

• Has the WWW standardised on data
• Yes
• HTML ?
• XML ?
• PDF ?
• Why
• To allow interoperability on the web ?
• We must standardise on data standards to host on
  Web

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Viewers

• The selection of data standards allows
• Standards browsers to be used
• Bespoke software viewers to be limited
• Standardised style sheets (depends on data)
• Pass style sheets with data ?

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Introduction and backgroundTech doc process
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Process
Book DTD, AECMA DTD, 87269 etc
XML, XPOINTER, XLINK, XSL, CSS
SGML Data Base
XML Data Base Objects Meta data
Build
Functionality
Style Sheets
Other Objects
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Way Forward

• Develop
• a set of data standards
• basic viewer functionality (ISMID)
• GUI requirements
• Use XML standards
• Linking
• Style Languages
• Transformation for output

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Conclusions

• We should develop a high level strategy,
• Data (little work)
• Linking (develop XML)
• Functionality (examine ISMID)
• Style (Develop XML)
• Decide on what should be exchanged
• Data
• Data Links
• Data Links Style Sheets