Overview
ISO/IEC 10179:1996/Amd 1:2003 is an amendment to the DSSSL (Document Style Semantics and Specification Language) standard. It extends DSSSL with additional flow object classes and formatting areas for better support of online displays, clarifies existing definitions, and adds informative annexes that document types, public identifiers, grove structure, and characteristic values. Key published features include an abstract API to the flow object tree, new formatting areas (inline-display and inter-line attachment), and extended online features such as display-window, pop-up, dialogue, sound-voice, and animation flow objects.
Key Topics
- Flow object tree API: Defines an abstract, system-independent API for style editors and processors to access dynamic information (characters, glyphs, line/paragraph/column/page/document composition).
- Formatting areas: Introduces and clarifies conceptual areas - Display area, Inline area, Inline-display area, Inter-line area, Attachment area, Inter-line attachment area - to standardize composition behavior for inline and online content.
- New flow object classes:
- Display-window: abstract frame for online display with characteristics like frame-type and frame-size.
- Pop-up: edge-area or popup content with information-type semantics.
- Dialogue: interactive dialogs for online displays (dialogue-type, return types).
- Sound-voice & Animation: objects for audio/animation associated with online content, with output controls.
- Clarifications and annexes:
- Annex B: types and symbols (expression, numeric, SDQL types).
- Annex C: formal public identifiers for line breaking/composition methods.
- Annex D: grove plan and SGML property set.
- Annex E/F: flow object classes, characteristics, and their values.
- Terminology & data types: SDQL node-list types, style and transformation language constructs, and numerical/character types used in DSSSL styling.
Applications
- Implementing or extending DSSSL processors and style engines (desktop or server-side).
- Building style editors that operate on the flow object tree for WYSIWYG rendering and authoring tools.
- Enabling online/interactive document presentations (pop-ups, dialogs, animated/voice annotations) in SGML-based publishing systems.
- Informing conversion tools between SGML/DSSSL and modern publishing pipelines that require precise control over line/page composition and display behavior.
Who should use this standard
- DSSSL and SGML processor developers
- Digital publishing tool vendors and style editor authors
- Technical authors and systems integrators working with legacy DSSSL workflows or SGML-based archives
- Architects designing online document presentation and composition engines
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 10179:1996 (base DSSSL standard) - this amendment extends and clarifies that standard
- SGML-related specifications and ISO/IEC JTC 1 SC 34 outputs (context for grove plan and SGML property sets)
Keywords: ISO/IEC 10179:1996/Amd 1:2003, DSSSL, flow object tree, inline-display, inter-line attachment, display-window, pop-up, sound-voice, SDQL, grove plan, SGML property set, page composition.
Open preview (PDF)Information technology — Processing languages — Document Style Semantics and Specification Language (DSSSL) — Amendment 1: Extensions to DSSSL
