X-Hive/Docato Browser, a framework for IETM applications

The X-Hive/Docato Browser framework for building class 4 or 5 Interactive Electronic (Technical) Manuals (IETM) manages large volumes of XML-based documentation. Such systems often need a database-driven application to distribute this information over the Web. Database-driven Interactive Electronic Manuals swiftly search through large volumes of publications, resulting in a fast and focused retrieval of relevant information.

"X-Hive adds a new future proof dimension to our products...." André Verduijn, president Tedopres International

Framework vs. Solution
Web based IETM's are often tailor made, with application search capabilities and/or dialogs programmed from scratch. Standard IETM solutions lack the data specific capabilities and tailored Corporate Look and Feel required by customers. X-Hive/Docato Browser is an application framework that allows developers to quickly create and deploy tailor made IETM's without the need for labor intensive programming. X-Hive/Docato Browser can be tailored to your specific search and retrieval needs.

Based on open standards
IETM applications built using the X-Hive/Docato Browser framework are created with open XML standards. In particular, XQuery is used to search over the content base. The X-Hive/Docato Browser framework is a processing pipeline fully based on XML technology for both searches over the content base and for building interactive dialog.

Separating Content from Logic and Presentation
The X-Hive/Docato Browser framework uses the Apache Struts model-view-controller architecture. User interfaces are split into tiles each handled by separate JSP requests. We use 100% XML technology to build all parts of the applications:

• A native XML database to store XML publications
• XQuery to retrieve data from the database
• XSL-T to give the IETM a unique user interface
• XML User Interface Language (XUL) toolkit to build dialogs in a neutral format
• XML tag libraries to handle connections to the database, execute XQueries etc.

Separating Content, Logic and Presentation allows you to modify each part individually. This saves significant development and maintenance costs for tailor-made IETM solutions.

X-Hive/Docato Browser framework
The X-Hive/Docato Browser framework is shipped with:

• Several libraries for connecting and querying the XML repository.
• X-Hive/Docato User Interface Language (an XML User Interface Language).
• Code snippets (e.g., for building dynamic trees).
• Command line libraries for setting up projects, loading existing data, and building structured and full-text indexes and/or batch-oriented retrieval.
• Runtime licenses of X-Hive/DB.
• Several X-Hive/Docato core libraries for user/role management, authentication, project setup, etc.
• One license of RenderX's XSL-FO processor (XEP) to dynamically generate PDF.

Overall Benefits
X-Hive/Docato Browser offers the ability to build cost-effective, complex, XML-driven Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals. IETM's built with the X-Hive/Docato Browser toolkit are tailor-made and based on 100% XML standards.