SiberSafe makes it easier to manage large XML content development projects. Collaborative support includes:
Users can access the latest or any historical version of any document in the project.
Users can check XML or other content into and out of the repository to avoid authoring conflicts. Each user can safely edit checked-out content in their local working folder. Other users cannot override these edits until the content is checked back into the repository.
Document Centric Workflow is designed to automate the XML content production process.
In SiberSafe, workflow is defined as the progression of a task (or tasks) of a particular task type from state to state along predefined transitions triggering actions and notifications. A task remains in a state while a person assigned a role performs work on the documents attached to the task. A task exits from one state to another based on the outcome of the assignment. The assignee selects the transition (for example, accept or reject) that triggers actions and notifications. A transition places the task in the next state where it becomes the responsibility of the next assignee to complete the actions required of their assigned role.
SiberSafe allows teams to define different workflows for different task types. For example, a documentation team may have one workflow for generating new feature documentation and a different workflow for documentation bugs. SiberSafe also includes special support for managing translation tasks.
Roles, states and transitions can be arranged into simple yet powerful process implementations. With the ability to select which user or system events trigger automatic notification, administrators can select tailor the system response to workflow events that meets their audit and notification needs. In addition, user-defined triggers allow special processing at any point in the workflow.
As a task flows through the process, every contributor can view the task history, participate in task-specific discussion, and view attachments or operate on task documents. As the task completes its lifecycle, the history of who did what is preserved for future reference.
Documentation managers can define a task workflow and associate a workflow with any document. The manager assigns sub-tasks to different team members and, as the parent task moves through its lifecycle, they are automatically notified by email of their required contribution and the manager can easily track the documentation development process.
The manager can attach any file from the SiberSafe repository to the assigned task. Workflow module consoles enable task assignees to perform basic access operations with attached files: view, lock/unlock, check-in/check-out, get latest version. For translation tasks, files can be automatically selected from only those documents with an outstanding translation requirement.
When enabled, this new global option enables more efficient workflow management and task supervision. Only a single task can be in progress at one time, and all transactions performed by a user in the repository are associated with the task which is in progress. All user actions in the repository can therefore be tracked.
See the collaborative workflow demo
See the SiberSafe workflow white paper
See the document production workflow white paper
Users can define the granularity at which they want to manage their content. For teams using DocBook or sdocbook DTDs, SiberSafe offers the choice of three predefined granularity descriptions.
SiberMeld, an integrated XML visual difference tool, allows the user to visually compare different versions of the same XML document. SiberMeld compares XML documents as hierarchical structures of XML elements rather than just plain text files, and requires no initial configuration or even a DTD.
SiberSafe requires password specification on user accounts, to ensure that all repository operations are secure and can be traced to the user who actually performed them.
SiberSafe can create a new content stream based on the snapshot of an existing one, and is especially useful when supporting multiple releases of product documentation. The branch operation creates references to existing objects rather than replicating them, ensuring that the history of tracked documents, fragments, and entities is preserved in the branch. It also means that branching is fast, and uses minimum disk space.
