From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Msuck: nntp://news.gmane.io/gmane.comp.tex.context/3539 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Hans Hagen Newsgroups: gmane.comp.tex.context Subject: publishing on demand experiment Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2000 15:08:05 +0100 Sender: owner-ntg-context@let.uu.nl Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.20001207150805.00901100@pop.wxs.nl> NNTP-Posting-Host: coloc-standby.netfonds.no Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" X-Trace: main.gmane.org 1035394271 17962 80.91.224.250 (23 Oct 2002 17:31:11 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@main.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2002 17:31:11 +0000 (UTC) Original-To: ntg-context@ntg.nl Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.comp.tex.context:3539 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.comp.tex.context:3539 Hi, Some of you may know that at pragma we have been experimenting with publishing on demand for some years now. For this purpose we have build a database with a substantial number of dutch school examns. From this database we generate documents both for testing and for challenging purposes. Although we are handicapped by being not on the internet by leased line [we have a 64 kbit isdn line] we want to put some of this on our server for testing purposes. The last couple of days i converted the visual basic progs that a friend wrote for handling email requeste into perl and i want to test it. Currently this data is encoded in tex, but a next step will be to act on xml. So, in fact this is the first [public] step in bringing xml support into context. For that purpose we will convert the database into xml. Parts of the styles used will become part of some examination styles. Most of what you see is already available in context now, like selective paragraph processing, numbering lines, etc. In the database no text is entered more than once and refs to pages and lines and so are generated runtime. For historic reasons [it started that way] the multiple choice examns are kind of interactive in the sense that you can click on answers and go forward or get feedback. The method is as follows: - the user composes a document [offline or online] - the selection is sent to our www server - the server mails it to a dedicated account - our local company server fetches these mails - based on the profile a collection of documents is produced - these are mailed back to the user The selection takes place in a pdf document [in this case]. The selection is stored in fields that will be send to the generator. You can find such a document at www.pragma-ade.com/pragma-tmp/examens/ex-fi-en.pdf This will only be there for a short period since i will upload complete versions [we're talking about some 200 meg in total] later. This test document is in dutch but deals with english examns. A few translations: Examen : Exams Antwoorden : Antwoorden Vragen : Questions At a question, you can select a question [or text with associated questions] using the top middle button: selecteer vraag the buttom middle button brings you to the list with selected items, and at the last page: verzend selectie sends the selection to the server. [technically you can also save a selection and send it as mail attachment] At the bottom of the last page screen [selection page] there is a reference field. Before you submit a request, you must send me an email address and a reference you want to use. That way we can make sure no body will use this as spam. The document still has some flaws, so don't redistribute it. When everything goes well, you will recieve some 5 files with questions, answers, forms etc back. Depending on how on-line we are, this service is relatively fast or slow. Hans ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hans Hagen | PRAGMA ADE Ridderstraat 27 | 8061 GH Hasselt | The Netherlands tel: +31 (0)38 477 53 69 | fax: +31 (0)38 477 53 74 | www.pragma-ade.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------