3 . 6 Specialized Views
Fullfeatured document processing systems often include specialized areas that have their own mini-processors. For example, mathematical equations, tables, and flow charts are all elements that can make up a document. Specialized document processors are available for each element.
Specialized document processing tools support many of the semantics needed to edit these particular elements. Embedding such knowledge in the programs allows manipulations that are more natural for the particular type of document element. For example, movement of a box in a flow chart could cause all connected lines to remain attached to the box. A table editor may allow for the insertion of rows of data with a simple command. (For a more through explanation of these systems, please see Section 4 . 1 Types of Document Processors in Chapter 4 Form and Function of Document Processors.)
Tables represent a particularly common document element that many systems support. Table editors exist in all kinds of electronic publishing systems, ranging from the lowend word processors (such as MS Word), through page layout systems (such as PageMaker), to the higherend systems (such as Interleaf).
Another interesting and growing specialized document processing field is legal document assembly. The high-end document assembly packages, such as CAPS by CAPSoft or WorkForm by Analytic Legal Programs, allow Joe Lawyer to produce document templates that can be used by others on the staff. The templates are produced by answering a series of questions to direct the software to assemble the document by pulling in the correct text from its textual database. Accuracy is of the utmost importance in legal documents. One misplaced word can be the source of litigation or of numerous other complexities.(21)
Maintenance manuals used by the military raise another legal issue. These manuals usually contain lots of "WARNING" boxes indicating some important message. For example, "applying more that 10 fps torque will cause death and destruction." It is legally mandated that the WARNING be placed before the text of the section covering that topic.
The placement of mandatory items has some interesting ramifications for on-line reading, exemplified by hypertext browsers and the Web.(22) An on-line document browsing system must be designed to display the WARNING before allowing the display of the associated text. Random browsing through the document must factor in this requirement. The trick, of course, is to do this without interfering with the flexibility of browsing and searching, which is desirable in the on-line document viewers.
Another interesting specialized writing category are programs for children. As the cost of compute power has dropped, a market for children has developed. Microsoft has a particularly appealing program called Creative Writer. Taking a cue from KidPix by Broderbund, a kids-oriented paint program, Creative Writer uses sound for all types of feedback. When you drag an object, a scratching sound plays; when you erase with the vacuum cleaner; it sounds like one. Button and lever selections have colorful play like visual feedback as well.
Microsoft's Creative Writer - word processing for kids.
For beginning users, a character, called McVee, pops up in a manner similar to Apple's balloon help, but more kid-oriented, and leads you through various procedures. One novel feature is in a "magic apple." After you write a story you can select the apple and many words are recognized, and little pictures are placed beside them. The look is like an old children's story book. It is very effective.
Budding movie and television authors can get script writing software. These packages format the document according to industry norms. They also help in the process of character and scene development.
ScriptRighter screenplay formatting software is a Windows based product.
Some of the control button in ScriptRighter
Scriptware and MovieMaster are two more word processing tools specifically set up to aid the development of scripts.
MovieMaker script writing software
All of these writing tools understand the semantics of scriptwriting. Characters, dialogue, action, and scenes are all meaningful document processing terms to these programs. Of course, you still have to have the imagination to write something interesting in the first place.
Finally there is a Web site called "The Writers Computer Store" at http://www.hollywoodnetwork.com/hn/shopping/kiosk/index.html. It contains good pointers for locating these types of specialized writing software products.
