TCTOOLBOX
ABOUT OVIDIUS OVIDIUS XML solutions that work Ovidius GmbH, headquartered in Berlin, develops XML-based solutions and editing systems for technical documentation. Our offer is directed in particular at companies with complex documentation requirements, the Aviation and Defence industry, Mechanical and Plant Engineering, the Electrical and Electronics industry as well as the IT sector. We combine standard tools as systems which are precisely tailored to our customers requirements and are modular and scalable. Here, we couple our own systems with the best XML tools available on the market, thus realising integrated complete solutions. The investments by the customers in software and information are protected and a speedy return on investment is secured. We have also made a name for ourselves as an expert for complex conversion processes and solutions. The transformation software MetaMorphosis from Ovidius is used successfully in more than 20 countries. Since its foundation in 1996 by Klaus Fenchel, Ovidius has grown constantly and increased its product range in a targeted manner. Through the takeover of EasyBrowse GmbH in Schwerin at the beginning of 2008, its expert competence was expediently extended. With the products from EasyBrowse, we offer the integrated complete solution for the mobile use of documentation with further systems such as spare parts catalogues and service information systems. Ovidius is the top contact for all questions connected with technical editing work using XML.
S E R V I C E Consultancy Due to many years experience in our focus industries, we know the suitable tools exactly including their strengths and weaknesses. Planning When planning XML applications, we take the internal information structures, just like the workflow in the company, into account. At the same time, we keep a careful eye on your strategic, organisational and commercial objectives. Application development and system integration All-inclusive, modular or really individual? Our products and solutions are attuned to your requirements and not vice-versa. Conversion to XML We guarantee the safe transfer of your old data as well as structured, efficient new data structures. Training & support Not only do we support you during the critical introductory phase, we maintain the system throughout its entire product life cycle. We naturally also impart you and your employees the necessary specialist knowledge.
TCTOOLBOX Ovidius TCToolbox your XML-based editing system Ovidius TCToolbox is designed to meet the requirements of technical editors from scratch. Sector applications for Aviation, Mechanical and Plant Engineering. software and hardware documentation as well as the Automotive industry allow a quick start in productivity. TCTOOLBOX IS PARTICULARLY SUITABLE IF Large documents have to be built-up from components Documents are managed and published in various different languages and media Customer-specific or plant-specific documentation should be generated from a master Interfaces with other systems are important Information from external databases has to be combined with XML documents Prompt and good value production is asked for. Here, we focus on your specific requirements for each project.
TCTOOLBOX FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BUDGET, YOUR ORGANISATION AND YOUR NEEDS We offer various models for the use of TCToolbox for your specific requirements as well as support for operating the system and editing work. You combine how your individual editing solution should be structured yourself: Purchase, lease or hire purchase? You decide how much you actually invest and the running period for the model selected. In-house installation or hosting? We offer both on-site installation and server hosting via an experienced provider. Service Level Agreement (SLA) or standard support? You need support? Then you can decide the reaction times and availability of the Ovidius customer support individually. Editing services? Together with experienced partner companies, we offer complete solutions including editing services, translation services and consultancy services.
TCTOOLBOX ONE STEP AHEAD TECHNICAL QUALITY FROM OVIDIUS TCToolbox manages reusable components (XML documents). They can be compiled as complete manuals using drag & drop or automatically. Based on these manuals, language-specific and media-specific publications are generated. The editing system is based on a proven information model which depicts the requirements of the technical editing staff. These also include: Flexible administration of administration modules Reuse of information Full control of cross-references Team work on a documentation with clearly allocated roles and with the required security against information loss Support for the translation process only what has been changed is translated Work at different locations directly via the Internet and VPN or with a terminal server Sector-specific highlights include, for example, the frequently required work with machine-specific or customer-specific variants in Mechanical and Plant Engineering or standardised revision management of manuals for Aviation. VARIANTS MASTERING THE DIVERSITY Several companies manufacture products which differ due to minor or larger variations. In order to avoid compiling numerous product documentations, a basic documentation is compiled. The product variants are marked in the basic documentation modules and managed simultaneously. Variant-specific values such as dimensions and weights can be fed in dynamically as variables. An intelligent publication process puts the modules together, removes variants not required and integrates the variables. Ovidius TCToolbox is supplied with a document structure within which the variable and variant control is integrated.
TCTOOLBOX CHANGE CONTROL ALL INFORMATION GUARANTEEED TCToolbox enables intelligent version management. The full version history of a document can be viewed and understood: who has changed what when? Current versions can be compared with the prior versions using a difference view. This enables fast checking of changes and, if necessary, correction. Once a version has been released for publication, the system does not allow any more revisions. This function ensures revision safety and longevity of the compiled documentations. EDITING TRANSLATING PUBLISHING One of the objectives of the XML standard is to create an open data format which can be edited using tools from any manufacturers. Ovidius uses a small number of proven and efficient third-party products in order to enable complete solutions for technical documentation. The editors we use include FrameMaker and XMetal. With the Trados and Across language servers, Ovidius supports two of the most efficient translation systems on the market. In particular, the close integration of the Across language server in TCToolbox provides workflow and quality assurance advantages for companies. WEB-BASED REVISION CYCLE Instead of accepting change requests via E-mail, PDF, telephone or brief memos, our web-based change and release system ARC Desk helps to put the change cycle in order. Change requests can be placed directly where they belong in the document they can be discussed and accepted. They are then worked in by the editor and marked as completed. If desired, they can be checked again and released web-based when finished.
TCTOOLBOX INTEGRATION OF OTHER SYSTEMS Various efficient publication tools work hand in hand with Ovidius TCToolbox, enabling the efficient publication of product information in various media formats. Our subsidiary EasyBrowse augments our product portfolio with sophisticated tools for the electronic publication of data from the CD-ROM to the portal solution. Moreover, all typesetting systems can be integrated with TCToolbox unproblematically. From standard projects with Microsoft Word to complex publications with XSL-FO-based processors, FrameMaker or other professional typesetting systems. As a result of many years experience, Ovidius is capable of finding the optimum solution for your needs. Your advantage: automatic processes and constant high-quality typesetting.
TCTOOLBOX PUBLICATION TOOL AREA OF USE SPECIAL FEATURES AntennaHouse XSL-Formatter Print publication Standard-based typesetting system for fully automated typesetting processes in all languages Adobe FrameMaker Print publication Efficient DTP tool with sophisticated XML capabilities and a high automation potential, e.g. via combination with Miramo. Turnkey TopLeaf Print publication High-end typesetting system for fully automated loose-leaf typesetting with integrated PDF generation EasyBrowse EB.Suite Electronic publication Compilation of mobile documentation (web-based or on Windows, ios and Android tablets); integration with electronic spare parts catalogues and workshop information systems Ovidius XHelp Electronic publication Generator for online and offline help systems, e.g. HTML help, Web help, Java help, Oracle help, Eclipse help or integrated help systems for machines and equipment Ovidius XWord Print publication Generator for the Microsoft Word 2010-compatible WordML format Datazone Miramo Print publication Efficient automation component for FrameMaker servers Portamis LA Engine Print publication Template-based typesetting system Enables both fully automated typesetting and user interaction
TCTOOLBOX TCTOOLBOX PUBLICATION SERVER In the technical editing office, the production of the publications for a large number of new manuals and updates to be compiled can bind considerable resources in the final publication run. The TCToolbox publication server provides a solution for the in-part complex publication processes. Here, publication processes from the individual clients of the editors involved are transferred to a server. The publications are started centrally there and run fully automatically. Users can reduce staff expenses by using the TCToolbox publication server, whilst simultaneously increasing the publication volume. The publication server can parallelise publication processes on suitable server hardware. The application is available as an additional module for every TCToolbox installation.
USER REPORT Ovidius GmbH editing system in use at Bachmann electronic TAILWIND WITH XML Bachmann electronic GmbH, headquartered on Feldkirch, Austria, has developed and become an internationally active high-tech automation company with representative offices in Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic during the past decades. Bachmann continues its expansion strategy with new subsidiaries in China, India and the USA. Here, the requirements of the technical documentation increase constantly. Instructions and manuals must be compiled for each product and product variant in the respective country s language. In order to be able to handle this challenge successfully, the Austrians rely on data maintenance in XML (Extensible Markup Language) and the editing and content management system TCToolbox from the Berlin-based company Ovidius GmbH. Bachmann electric has developed, produced and sold automation solutions in the hardware and software area for some forty years. Global leader companies in Plant Engineering and Energy and Environmental Engineering use Bachmann controllers in their systems today. The continuous system solutions from the automation specialist In the area of wind energy have become established as the industry standard and the company itself as the market leader with a share of around 40 percent.
USER REPORT TECHNICAL EDITING WORK AT BACHMANN ELECTRONIC The requirements posed by the operation of modern wind energy systems of control systems are immense. Environmental conditions, temperatures, hydraulic values and rotational speeds must be constantly monitored in order to enable timely intervention in case of critical values. In addition to control tasks, tasks in the area of data processing, measurement technology and regulation must be mastered parallel to this. For this purpose, a process computer with controller parts is required, which also adapts the position of the rotor blades to the wind available in realtime. Simultaneously, the communications with higher-level grids such as the wind park master computer must be guaranteed. The complexity of such automation solutions is matched by the enormous scope of technical documentation. According to the company s portfolio, two areas of technical documentation result: the description of the hardware components, which normally incorporates the performance parameters, the installation and de-installation and servicing as well as the description of the software components in as far as they have a user interface. At Bachmann, the software share of the documentation including the libraries and programming environment is about 75 percent. FROM WORD TO XML Before the decision was taken for an editing system, all documentations were managed in the file system. Not only was this extremely chaotic, it also posed an increasing number of problems, especially with regard to the allocation of the corresponding translations to the various documents. Bachmann s international orientation means that several different languages must be provided. In addition to English, Chinese and Indian are also planned for the future within the scope of opening up Asian markets. In order to guarantee future-proof administration of the constantly increasing data quantity as well as a good value and easy integration of the translation process, it was inevitable to switch to a different system.
USER REPORT When realising the demanding plan, Bachmann decided in favour of the XML data format. As opposed to the currently used proprietary format Word, XML has the advantage that it allows a clear split between contents and structure. As it is an open format, it can be edited using tools from all manufacturers. Moreover, XML data is media-neutral, enabling the publication of documents in various output formats. In its interaction with an editing system, XML provides the option to structure extensive documentation in modules, which can be edited by several editors concurrently and reused in several contexts. The translation process is also considerably simplified in this manner: The modularisation makes it possible to now only have the text modules translated which have been changed since the previous translation. TCToolbox Editor window view (XMetal Author) with tags on view
USER REPORT EDITING SYSTEM OPENING UP SAVINGS POTENTIAL In order to take advantage of this reusability for itself, Bachmann decided in favour of using the XML-based editing system from the Berlin company Ovidius after careful consideration. In addition to the good price-performance ratio, the user-friendliness of the solution convinced us above all, as the project manager described the decision-making process. TCToolbox enables the standardised optimisation and automation of editing processes. The integrated XML editor XMetal is used for compilation and editing. A preconfigured DTD (document type definition) covers the basic requirements in the technical documentation. Simultaneously, TCToolbox allows the integration of third-party systems. An interface to the translation memory system Across is integrated as a standard. Therefore, translation jobs can be prepared from TCToolbox in Across, their status queried and, after completion they can be re-imported to TCToolbox. Cumbersome exports with manual transmission via E-mail and import of translated fragments are therefore relicts of the past. Before the editing system could be commissioned at Bachmann, the conversion of their old data had to take place. We commissioned Ovidius to write us a converter for this task in order to avoid the manual transfer of the data from Word to XML. The converter was then ready for use so fast that we were able to conclude the data transfer within a very short time. The subsequent installation of TCToolbox was similarly fast. The entire switchover from the initial contact in October 2006 until the actual use of the software only took a few months, as the project manager says with regard to collaboration with Ovidius GmbH.
USER REPORT FLEXIBLE PUBLICATIONS TCToolbox now facilitates the technical editors daily work. Time savings are really huge. We used to need one week per language for publication using the old style. With the editing system, we manage two languages within the course of one day, according to the project manager. Moreover, translated text blocks need not be typeset again. Due to the use of XML, the layout remains unchanged during the translation process. In addition to texts, extensive graphics are a part of the Bachmann documentations; they are available in the gigabyte range in various resolutions and formats. The use of TCToolbox, which also manages the graphics, enables the editing staff to always retain an overview as to which graphics are integrated into which product descriptions. As they are handled as independent objects like the text modules, they can be used just as flexibly as XML fragments. TCToolbox view with publication definition (left), structure tree (centre) and document preview (right)
USER REPORT The electronic provision of product descriptions and operating instructions is a further innovation which has been adopted with TCToolbox at Bachmann. The target formats for electronic distribution are PDF, HTML and HTML help. The Ovidius XML specialists were also able to realise a special request from the technical editors: a visually attractive print version can be generated directly from the online help format HTML help via a link to a PDF document. That not only considerably increases print quality, the use of a watermark additionally enables the reassurance that the document provided is a valid version. The optimisation of the editing processes is also a topic for the future: We extend the editing system so that it will be be possible to generate review documents which colour mark the changes to the prior version. As a result, our developers profit from the improved legibility and faster finding of revised text passages. The foundation for an efficient and good value technical documentation has been laid in any case with data administration in the XML-based editing system.
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Ovidius GmbH Alte Jakobstraße 79 80 D-10179 Berlin Germany Phone: +49 (30) 408 18 95-0 Fax: +49 (30) 408 18 95-99 Email: info@ovidius.com Web: www.ovidius.com