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A Powerful, but Minimal Document Markup Language?

Posted by Cliff on from the mangling-your-text dept.

demi asks: "Okay, I'm looking for markup language to keep documentation in. The primary features I'm looking for is power--for example, I want tables to be at least as easy to describe as they are in HTML, and have similar power; output-independence--I want it to produce good-looking HTML and good-looking printed output, and I don't want to fiddle with typesetting at all; and I want it to be minimal--in particular, I don't want to have to markup paragraphs, these should be recognized in the same way POD or LaTeX does. POD is not powerful enough (no tables, headers, etc.). LaTeX is too oriented toward presentation, DocBook XML and SGML require too much markup, and Texinfo is really the same deal. I know I could roll my own but I'm looking for something standard-ish. My documentation will be focused on policies and procedures. Any suggestions?"

4 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. suck it up. by pb · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Either search through the myriad of home-grown document markups yourself, or write something you like. Despite what you may believe, slashdot is still not freshmeat, nor is it google.

    We aren't mind-readers either, but based on your request, it sounds like you won't be happy with anything, so you'd better start coding.

    That's my suggestion.

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  2. Simplified DocBook by stonebeat.org · · Score: 2, Interesting

    take a look at simplified docbook. Here are some good DocBook editors

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    Consensus is good, but informed dictatorship is better
  3. ReSTructured Text and DocUtils by FFFish · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ReSTructured Text and DocUtils

    I can not emphasize this enough: use ReST and DocUtils. I've been doing technical publishing to PDF using it, and have been delighted all the way through.

    ReST is output to XML which then flows through a proprietary XSL:FO to become PDF using XEP. (Whee! TLAs!)

    ReST is plaintext. It's exactly the sort of thing you'd do in plain ol' email to *emphasize* a point or `show a link`_.

    It does sections, sidebars, classes, everything you need for probably 95% of the technical documentation out there, and does it all using such ordinary tools.

    There are some ReST-supporting wikis, too, which can be used in a similar workflow.

    Keep you eye on it. ReST is about to hit critical mass.

    _`like this link.`

    ReSTructured Text and DocUtils

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  4. HTML, sed, printer by leonbrooks · · Score: 2, Interesting

    sed /' >destfile.html
    kprinter -j none --nodialog destfile.html

    If you want PDFs instead of hardcopy, use CUPS and add "-P nameofPDFqueue".

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