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May 9, 2016

LearningDITA and Oxygen XML Web Author

Since Scriptorium first announced the availability of LearningDITA.com, we have had more than 1,100 subscribers to our free online DITA courses. To complete the exercises in LearningDITA, we have recommended that students install an XML editor. This has presented a difficulty to some because they cannot or do not want to download and install an editor.

We’re happy to say this limitation now gone.

One of the recent developments from Syncro Soft—the makers of the <oXygen/> XML Editor—is the release of the Oxygen XML Web Author. This web-based tool allows anyone with a modern browser to use Oxygen XML Author to edit and review XML or DITA content. Borrowing from Syncro Soft’s own materials:

“You can collaborate with other members of your team to contribute and modify content from anywhere on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices. The adaptive and innovative user interface is designed to allow you to interact with XML content in the most efficient and productive way possible.”

To demonstrate the capabilities of the Oxygen XML Web Author, Syncro Soft offers a free online demo version (link here).

Now, with the availability of Oxygen XML Web Author, anyone can complete the exercises for LearningDITA in a full-featured editing environment. It is no longer necessary to download and install an editing tool.

I was even able to edit DITA content from my phone.

Simon editing DITA content using Oxygen XML Web Author from his phone.

We tested the exercises for LearningDITA on the demo version of the Oxygen XML Web Author and found that it works great!

When we wrote the exercise instructions for the LearningDITA courses, our focus was on using an installed editor with content that is stored locally. When using the Oxygen XML Web Author, you work on content that is shared in the cloud through Dropbox, Google Drive, WebDAV, or GitHub. We focus on using Dropbox, although it is possible to use one of the other cloud tools.

A new page on the LearningDITA site describes how working with shared content is different. The page outlines the differences in some procedures and includes short videos to show how easy it really is.

We hope the availability of the Oxygen XML Web Author and its free online demo help many more people get started on the path to LearningDITA.