Explanation of DSL (Document Style Language)


In short, you really don't want to get into this unless you enjoy detail work. Some programmers are reticent to deal with it. DSL's are determined by ISO/IEC 10179:1996 DSSSL (Document Style Semantics and Specification Language)

To determine how a document made according to a DTD looks, I have to write a DSL. (Document Style Language) file, which says--in effect--any time I start a new chapter (with a DTD command of '<chapter>Chapter One: My Tome</chapter>, center it, put it in bold, and font size such and such. It also says "everytime I use the paragraph

"<p>"
marker, then make a 1.5" left margin, double space, etc." There are now automated systems for this, such as Arbortext's (see main links) XML makes this somewhat easier.

A DSL is read by a special programs--such as the free download--called Jade, written by visionary Jim Clark (who also spearheaded DSSSL standards) in order to create a printable copy, like PDF. But, again, DSL's are hard to write. There is an automated menu-driven gizmo for writing XML style sheets--XSL's--which makes XML preferable to SGML.