[sword-devel] various questions

[Kurt W. Andrews]

The new linux box is in !!!! :) I hope to have it ready to go by Saturday

Chris Little wrote:

> > I'm trying to get a level set on what types of file formats the sword
> > project will work with,  I have been making some inquiries about a thml
> > filter and found that some one had already been working on this.  If
> > testers are needed, I should have a working linux system ready to go in
> > about a week.
>
> Soon (this week-ish) I should have the ThML filters finished, then I'll send
> them over to Troy for inclusion in the next release of SWORD.  I've done a
> little testing of them (my CGI at bible.gotjesus.org uses filters to change
> everything into ThML then into HTML, so I know it is working partially at
> least.  But before I release, I want to be sure that modules produced in
> ThML will work themselves and I want to try adding some pictures to modules.

I'm very new to this open source development paradigm.  Can I get some details
on how to help with any further testing?

>
> > What are the other formats the sword project can use (please define any
> > abbreviations)?  Is anyone working on STEP?
>
> SWORD actually only uses one format: SWORD format.  The ThML, GBF, RTF,
> plaintext, etc. are just text markups standards that we use, but the
> strorage format is always the same.  Of course, code could be written so
> that we could use STEP, OLB, etc. formats natively, but no one has done so.
> I think it might be difficult to do such a thing (but not impossible)
> because there are all very different formats which had very different design
> intentions.

How about a sword filter for step, it is closely related to rtf.  I'll look into
it a little to try to determine how much work it would be to write a filter.  If
anyone else is interested, or already has a head start let me know?  IMHO it
would be cool to be able to use step since publishers are already using it.  I
know that you have to pay for most of the step material out there, but it seams
like it would be good to have the option.

> Besides, I believe the STEP SDK costs about $1000 or something
> similarly absurd.

Both the developers kit and the publishers kit is very expensive, but the
standard is an open one (sort of -- its managed by a consortium of developers)

> abbreviations:
> ThML = theological markup language
> GBF = general bible format
> RTF = rich text format
> OLB = online bible
>
> --Chris Little