Category: Content technology news (Page 539 of 642)

JafSoft Limited has released AscToHTM 3.2 for Windows 95/98/NT, a program that converts plain text files (.txt) into good looking HTML web pages in seconds. AscToHTM converts text files using text-recognition algorithms that detect the document’s structure. These can recognize headings, bullets, lists, indentation, URLs, tables, ASCII art and much more. The resulting HTML faithfully reflects the structure of the original document. This program adds value to the HTML e.g. by turning URLs into hyperlinks and adding color to your pages. It also creates a hyperlinked contents list from your headings. These extra features make the software suitable for use as an authoring tool as well as a conversion tool. At its simplest you just choose the files to be converted, press a single button and the results are displayed in your browser. For the advanced user a large number of options allow you to add a title, colors, tags and many other features. Selected options may be saved in “policy files” for reuse next time you run the program. AscToHTM is a tool for web developers, anyone who wants to generate web pages quickly and companies that want to migrate large structured or legacy text files to their Intranet or Internet sites. Recent changes include drag and drop support, recognition of mail and Usenet headers and a tagging system that allows you to add hyperlinks and conversion timestamps to your document. The interface can be switched to German, Spanish or Portuguese, although the documentation is still in English. AscToHTM 3.2 costs $40 for a single user license. Site licenses are available, and the software is made available free to FAQ maintainers. A 30-day trial can be downloaded from www.jafsoft.com/download/windows/aschtm32.zip

Just in Time Solutions announced it has delivered the DTD for the XML presentation contained in the Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX) 1.01 specification. The IFX 1.01 specification, which was recently released by the IFX Forum for public comment, is an open standard that provides a framework for the exchange of financial data between financial institutions, service providers and customers. With input from other members of the IFX Forum’s XML Working Group, Just in Time took the lead in creating the DTD for the XML representation contained in the IFX 1.01 specification. The incorporation of a DTD in IFX 1.01 enables financial institutions, service providers and technology vendors to begin developing applications using IFX. In addition, Just in Time helped establish the rules and guidelines for sending and receiving IFX messages in XML. The standard can be found at www.ifxforum.org, www.justintime.com

Extensibility, Inc. and Bristol Technology Inc. announced a cooperative agreement to market Extensibility’s XML Authority schema design and conversion solution and Bristol Technology’s eXactML, which simplifies the task of adding XML capabilities to applications. XML Authority is a compliment to eXactML as companies use XML to drive e-business applications using Internet technologies. XML Authority converts existing application and document structures into schemas while eXactML generates object-oriented interfaces for reading, writing and manipulating XML content. www.extensibility.com, www.xmlschema.com, www.bristol.com

Infoteria Inc. announced the availability of the iConnector / SQL Server version 1.0. iConnector / SQL Server allows users to both store XML data into Microsoft SQL Server, and query existing information stored in that server as XML data. iConnector / SQL Server is the latest addition to the iConnector family of products, which embraces a wide variety of industry platforms, including Oracle, Lotus Notes/ Domino and Microsoft Access. The series contains Rule Generator, a user friendly GUI based tool, which allows users to easily map XML data structures to database schemes, and visa versa. iConnector also allows for cross database relational joins where incoming XML data can be stored using another database as a reference. The Japanese version of iConnector / SQL Server will be available on February 14th, 2000 for Microsoft Windows NT4.0. The English version will be available April 1st. iConnector / SQL Server pricing starts at $8,000. In addition, an OEM version will be available. www.infoteria.com

Sterling Commerce, Inc. announced its new E-business process integration software and consulting services solution through its participation in RosettaNet. “RosettaNet Server” is designed to improve E-business supply chain management through the implementation of open and common processes by leveraging enabling technologies such as XML. This solution helps companies implement RosettaNet’s methodology for enabling small and large buyers and sellers to do business more efficiently over the Internet. The RosettaNet Server leverages Sterling Commerce’s existing GENTRAN BPI offering providing native XML integration capabilities for business document exchange and acknowledgement, partner authentication, and seamless back-end connectivity into both packaged and legacy application systems. Availability of this solution is scheduled for February 2, 2000, in conjunction with the RosettaNet pilot implementation initiative. www.sterlingcommerce.com

POET Software announced POET Content Management Suite (CMS) version 2.1, the latest release of its repository-based solution for creating, managing, and maintaining complex XML publications. POET has enhanced CMS 2.1 with the POET object repository, integration with Arbortext’s Adept Editor, and custom metadata functionality, providing corporate and commercial publishers with faster performance for workgroups, tighter best-of-breed tool integration, and better component management. POET CMS 2.1 features many performance enhancements, such as checkouts, checkins, and imports that are up to twice as fast as the POET CMS 2.0 release. POET CMS 2.1 integrates POET Object Server Suite (OSS) 6.0, the latest release of POET’s object data management software, featuring POET’s new FastObject technology. POET OSS, the underlying database technology behind POET CMS, provides significant performance, flexibility, and scalability benefits over relational and file-based repository architectures for complex object data such as XML and SGML. POET CMS 2.1 introduces an Author Plug-in for Adept Editor, Arbortext’s XML/SGML authoring environment. With the Author Plug-in for Adept, users can create, manage, edit, and reuse document components in the POET CMS repository, providing unified authoring and management within the familiar Adept interface. POET CMS 2.1 includes a Content SDK that lets developers and system integrators build customized POET CMS applications, such as specialized interfaces for occasional contributors, reviewers, or translators. With POET CMS 2.1, developers and system integrators can now add custom metadata functionality to applications built with the Content SDK. Custom metadata enables users to attach descriptive data-which can be viewed, modified, and queried-to components in the repository. POET CMS 2.1 is available immediately. POET CMS clients run on Windows NT/95/98. POET Content Server is available for Windows NT, Solaris and HP/UX. Introductory pricing for a package that includes five client licenses starts at around $30,000. www.poet.com

Optika Inc. announced Optika eMedia 2.0, which offers a B2B Web solution for uniting existing internal processes with external e-business activities. With the Optika eMedia B2B Web product, businesses are able to cross the organizational boundaries that make current inter-company communications and transaction processes inefficient and error-prone. With the addition of OLEDB standards, SQL 92 compliance, asynchronous queries and active data objects, Optika eMedia 2.0 is easier to integrate into complex user environments. Optika eMedia’s SDK simplifies the ability to embed and host other Web applications providing custom solutions. Combined with a 3-tier Web-based architecture, Optika eMedia 2.0 enables users to access transaction information regardless of type (i.e. EDI, XML, e-mail) or source (i.e. mainframe, line-of-business, traditional paper-based application). Optika eMedia 2.0 will be generally available in the second quarter of 2000. www.optika.com

LanguageWare.net Ltd. completed its acquisition of Star+Globe Technologies Pte. Ltd., a privately held Singapore company that provides proprietary Asian character processing technology for the Web. As a result of the acquisition, the wholly-owned subsidiary, WholeTree.com, was formed to bring the technology of Star+Globe, and LanguageWare.net together to create a comprehensive global e-business approach with an expertise in the Asian market. After the acquisition, Lernout & Hauspie Investment Company N.V. will remain LanguageWare.net’s single largest shareholder. www.languageware.net