FAQ

How does Content Mapper get high quality XML from Microsoft Word?

Content Mapper takes control of the Microsoft Word user interface and only allows the use of functions that are permitted by the schema. The result is ease of use for the author and the implementation of standards-based publishing with XML behind the scenes.

What are the advantages of Content Mapper over traditional XML editors like XMetal, Oxygen, Arbortext Editor, Structured Framemaker, and XML Spy?

The audience for these technical XML editors is different. Content Mapper allows non-technical authors to work in the familiar Microsoft Word-based environment. The environment is WYSIWYG and the author never has to see the ugly, but useful XML. Ease of use, cost, ease of implementation, and time to productivity are key advantages. Content Mapper works effectively in an environment where technical staff uses an XML editor, but enterprise authors work in MS Word.

Why are you selling Content Mapper in volumes for less than half of the list price of competing XML editors?

We are trying to help large organizations achieve the benefits of both structured writing and structured mark-up with modern processes. We believe that the primary roadblocks to enterprise adoption have been the cost of the software and training products, ease of use, consulting fees, and the cost of ongoing support from technical staff. These issues have been addressed in a way that will make large scale adoption of XML-based authoring simple and cost-effective. XML may be rocket science, but enterprise authoring should not be. Content Mapper is very easy to learn and use, so our objective is “Simply XML.” Large organizations can train their staff in structured writing, provide Content Mapper authoring software, adopt modern CMS processing functions and achieve all the benefits below for tens of dollars per person rather than hundreds or thousands of dollars per person.

Where would we get our return on investment from Content Mapper?

Our customers report cost savings and increased customer satisfaction: eliminating desktop publishing costs reusing content by adopting structured writing and structured mark-up minimizing editing, conversion, and rework costs quick adoption time, limited training, and no re-training when adopting an XML content architecture increased customer satisfaction by giving information consumers the right information, at the right time, on their device of choice, in the language of choice improved consistency and brand identity lower translation costs, and in general by getting control of MS Word while adopting XML as a standard!

Can I work offline with Content Mapper?

Yes. If you are working with Content Mapper's File System Repository on your local computer, then you can store and publish content offline. If you use Content Mapper to connect to a remote CMS or repository, then you can either work offline or save existing documents from the repository to the .cmdoc format and open and edit them locally. You can also create a new document in .cmdoc format locally, and later open and save it to your CMS when you are online.

Will Content Mapper support custom metadata and custom publishing requirements?

Yes. It is very easy to support your own metadata attached to either the File System Repository or through a link to the metadata in your CMS. Custom publishing requirements are supported in the publishing wizard or with the straightforward development of custom stylesheets.

Will Content Mapper run on a Mac?

Yes. While Content Mapper is designed to run on a PC, if a Mac runs Windows 7, 8, or 10 in a virtual machine, Content Mapper will have all the same functionality.

What are the advantages of using Content Mapper with a CMS?

With a CMS, multiple authors share a common repository. Content authoring is separate from publishing. Implementation of single source and multi-channel publishing can be phased in with little incremental investment.

Our CMS and Systems Integration Partners can meet your needs by developing and integrating workflows, recommending and developing style sheets and other publishing structures, and defining and implementing required metadata tagging.

My organization stores XML in another CMS. Can you help?

With the flexible architecture of Content Mapper, integration with another CMS can usually be accomplished in a relatively straight-forward services engagement. We have integrated with repositories using Web Services(SOAP), REST Services, CMIS, and WebDAV.

What is DITA and why are you focused on it?

DITA is a rapidly emerging standard for all kinds of documentation and business documents. DITA promotes topic-based writing and facilitates the implementation of single source authoring and multi-channel publishing. Simply XML offers a high quality instructor-led, web-based training course to simplify the transition to DITA. DITA is being promoted by companies like IBM, Intel, and Adobe, DITA is favorably supported by research houses including CIDM, the Rockley Group, and the Gilbane Group. DITA is an open standard and there are tools, information, and a seasoned community supporting its implementation.

What is “Simply DITA”?

Simply DITA is a document structure for Simply XML's Content Mapper authoring software. It takes advantage of the DITA XML standard without burdening writers with viewing XML code or dealing with hundreds of extraneous DITA elements. With Content Mapper, Simply XML has implemented enough elements to allow writers to easily create DITA Topics, Tasks, Concepts, References, DITA Maps, and Bookmaps. With the Publishing Wizard and support for the DITA Open Toolkit, publishing is quick, customizable, and inexpensive. The Simply DITA document structure is targeted at both authors in smaller documentation groups and casual authors in much larger organizations.

What is “Simply Lightweight DITA”?

Simply Lightweight DITA is a document structure for Simply XML's Content Mapper authoring software. It is targeted at non-technical authors who may contribute content to a much larger organization.

What is “Simply Structured”?

Simply Structured is a document structure for Simply XML's Content Mapper authoring software. It is document-oriented and allows authors to create large documents in a hierarchical structure. Simply Structured is targeted at authors who think in terms of multi-level documents rather than topics. It is very attractive to authors who have been trained in Information Mapping's methodology. Simply XML can help authors and organizations who have adopted structured writing to move to the next level of content management with reuse and flexible publishing in a modern operating environment.

My organization is stuck in a rut with both Information Mapping and InDesign. What should we do?

We'd be happy to help. For Information Mapping authors, Content Mapper has a facility to convert FS Pro or Docutools Documents to Simply Structured. Customers with InDesign typically have high quality PDF output. Web and Mobile-based content consumers do not want to read long PDF files. InDesign is a format mark-up and these and PDF-centeric organizations need to transition to a more robust XML-based content architecture where InDesign and PDF are potential publishing outputs along with HTML, EPUB, Mobile, and more.