Re: word processor document format: what parts?

["Mauro Condarelli" <MC5686 mclink it>]

> Mauro Condarelli wrote:
[snip!]
> > Forcing this kind of users to use styles could be a challenge.
> > Could we think something like automatically creating a new style when
> > the user does some formatting?
> Yes. That is what my train of thought was leading me to. When a user
> changes
> the style of a paragraph, for instance, maybe it is an occasion for
> adding
> a new styled element to the stylesheet..
> 
> > We could pop up a menu with the nearest style and ask for a confirm or
> > the request for a name to tag the new style.
> Good idea, i think, it would also probably avoid that they create
> hundreds
> of style elements, when they really only need 5 or 10..
> 
> > IMHO this shouldn't be too annoying and the user could learn fast to re-use
> > previously defined styles.
> This would force us to impose some structure on their document, and
> *that* could
> be annoying (people don't like to structure, it forces them to think).
Sorry, I didn't express myself well enough.
I do not think we skould try to impose our styles to the users.
I was referring to the styles *he* defined.

Popping up a dialog with the nearest *looking* styles (as opposed to the 
styles with the nearest name) would help the user to define a new style 
only if really needed.
The MS-Word idea of having local and global styles is ok, but I think styles 
should be global by default, so the user will begin with an almost empty 
style sheet, but would incrementally enlarge his styele database
.
There should be a way to collapse (under user control) several similarly-looking
styles in a single one. This feature should reside in the ".dot" file, allowing 
for semi-automatic style-collapsing of documents after creation.
For documents transmitted to other users we should include a copy of the 
".dot" file in the document itself.

This is going to give rise to interesting problems when the document is  
transmitted to an user who has a ".dot" file conflicting with the copy
embedded in the document.

IMHO the key to sort this can of worms is to find a good "distance function"
between styles, and use it intelligently.


Best Regards

Mauro Condarelli