WYSIWYM
Encyclopedia
WYSIWYM is an acronym for What You See Is What You Mean, and refers to a paradigm
for document editing. It is an alternative to the better-known WYSIWYG
(what you see is what you get) paradigm, which displays the document on screen as it will be printed.
In a WYSIWYM editor, the user writes the contents in a structured way, marking the content according to its meaning, its significance in the document, instead of designing its appearance. For example, in a WYSIWYM document the user might mark text as the title of the document, the name of a section, or the name of an author. This requires the structure of the document (contents semantics) to be known before editing it. The editor also needs a system for exporting the edited text to generate the final format of the document, following the indicated structure.
The main advantage of this system is the total separation of presentation and content
: users can concentrate their efforts on structuring and writing the document, rather than concerning themselves with the appearance of the document, which is left to the export system. Another advantage is that the same content can more easily be exported in different formats.
. LyX is a graphical editor built on top of a LaTeX
processor, so it, like LaTeX, is particularly suited for the editing of scientific documents — though, again like LaTeX, it can be used for a wide variety of purposes.
Inside LyX, the structure of a document is partly determined by the 'document layout' chosen for it. These layouts correspond to LaTeX document classes, though LyX can also work with DocBook
. The export process is performed in two steps. First the contents are transformed from an internal format to LaTeX, and then the LaTeX processor is used to generate the output document in the requested format (DVI, PDF, etc.). An advantage of this system is that LyX can produce any format to which a LaTeX file can itself be converted.
products to increase their perceived relevance. Users can create an HTML web page in a word processor with no knowledge of HTML. The WYSIWYG model has been criticized, primarily because of the verbosity and low quality of the generated code, and there are voices advocating changing to the WYSIWYM model.
RDFaCE
(RDFa Content Editor) is an example of WYSIWYM content editor. It is based on TinyMCE and uses dynamic CSS styles to distinguish semantic content from the normal content. RDFaCE WYSIWYM model is grounded on WYSIWYG model to facilitate semantic content autoring.
Another example of a WYSIWYM Web page editor is WYMeditor. In this editor the structure of the documents is defined by CSS
classes for HTML
elements. These classes also contain the information about the final appearance of the document. Although WYMeditor follows a WYSIWYM model, the document format is always HTML, so the new structures to be defined are limited to new classes. And the final document will always be built by applying presentational elements to these classes.
However, more recent developments include RenovatioCMS
, a CMS
(Content Management System) containing editing software that supports HTML
, PHP
, SQL
, CSS
and JavaScript
. The combination of these languages
results in a more complex syntax. To help the author interpret the code, different aspects of the code (tags, strings
, subroutines
and so forth) are highlighted or given different colours. This is comparable to the way code editing software like Notepad++
or HTMLKit works. So instead of using mark-up during editing to illustrate the end result (WYSIWYG), mark-up is used to illustrate the meaning and functionality of different parts of the code.
There is another project whose objective is defining a new architecture that allows the use of pure WYSIWYM editors. The structure of the documents is defined by means of a language, called WebCS, that is specifically designed for this goal. The created contents are saved in XML
, tagged semantically. In order to give the contents their final appearance, the WebCS structures have an associated XSL
transformation, which guides the conversion of this XML to its final format (XHTML
or whatever desired file format).
In this system, the separation of presentation and content is performed by the pair XML-XSL, so it is made in an upper level of the separation given by HTML-CSS. On the other hand, the definition of new structures and transformations are a bit harder and require more knowledge. Although implementing final software is not a goal of this project, there is an editor (WebCS Editor) available for demonstration purposes.
Other CMS are moving into the direction of providing some WYSIWYM interface for their users editing content. Tiki Wiki CMS/Groupware version 7.0 is one of them, by means of using Codemirror in-browser editing software.
Paradigm
The word paradigm has been used in science to describe distinct concepts. It comes from Greek "παράδειγμα" , "pattern, example, sample" from the verb "παραδείκνυμι" , "exhibit, represent, expose" and that from "παρά" , "beside, beyond" + "δείκνυμι" , "to show, to point out".The original Greek...
for document editing. It is an alternative to the better-known WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
(what you see is what you get) paradigm, which displays the document on screen as it will be printed.
In a WYSIWYM editor, the user writes the contents in a structured way, marking the content according to its meaning, its significance in the document, instead of designing its appearance. For example, in a WYSIWYM document the user might mark text as the title of the document, the name of a section, or the name of an author. This requires the structure of the document (contents semantics) to be known before editing it. The editor also needs a system for exporting the edited text to generate the final format of the document, following the indicated structure.
The main advantage of this system is the total separation of presentation and content
Separation of presentation and content
Separation of presentation and content is a common idiom, a design philosophy, and a methodology applied in the context of various publishing technology disciplines, including information retrieval, template processing, web design, web development, word processing, desktop publishing,...
: users can concentrate their efforts on structuring and writing the document, rather than concerning themselves with the appearance of the document, which is left to the export system. Another advantage is that the same content can more easily be exported in different formats.
Word processors
The first WYSIWYM word processor (and also first editor) was LyXLyX
LyX is a document processor following the self-coined "what you see is what you mean" paradigm , as opposed to the WYSIWYG ideas used by word processors...
. LyX is a graphical editor built on top of a LaTeX
LaTeX
LaTeX is a document markup language and document preparation system for the TeX typesetting program. Within the typesetting system, its name is styled as . The term LaTeX refers only to the language in which documents are written, not to the editor used to write those documents. In order to...
processor, so it, like LaTeX, is particularly suited for the editing of scientific documents — though, again like LaTeX, it can be used for a wide variety of purposes.
Inside LyX, the structure of a document is partly determined by the 'document layout' chosen for it. These layouts correspond to LaTeX document classes, though LyX can also work with DocBook
DocBook
DocBook is a semantic markup language for technical documentation. It was originally intended for writing technical documents related to computer hardware and software but it can be used for any other sort of documentation....
. The export process is performed in two steps. First the contents are transformed from an internal format to LaTeX, and then the LaTeX processor is used to generate the output document in the requested format (DVI, PDF, etc.). An advantage of this system is that LyX can produce any format to which a LaTeX file can itself be converted.
In web environments
Major software vendors have integrated web-page creation features into their popular WYSIWYGWYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
products to increase their perceived relevance. Users can create an HTML web page in a word processor with no knowledge of HTML. The WYSIWYG model has been criticized, primarily because of the verbosity and low quality of the generated code, and there are voices advocating changing to the WYSIWYM model.
RDFaCE
RDFaCE
RDFaCE is an online RDFa content editor based on TinyMCE. It supports different views for semantic content authoring and uses existing semantic Web APIs to facilitate annotating and editing of RDFa contents....
(RDFa Content Editor) is an example of WYSIWYM content editor. It is based on TinyMCE and uses dynamic CSS styles to distinguish semantic content from the normal content. RDFaCE WYSIWYM model is grounded on WYSIWYG model to facilitate semantic content autoring.
Another example of a WYSIWYM Web page editor is WYMeditor. In this editor the structure of the documents is defined by CSS
CSS
-Computing:*Cascading Style Sheets, a language used to describe the style of document presentations in web development*Central Structure Store in the PHIGS 3D API*Closed source software, software that is not distributed with source code...
classes for HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
elements. These classes also contain the information about the final appearance of the document. Although WYMeditor follows a WYSIWYM model, the document format is always HTML, so the new structures to be defined are limited to new classes. And the final document will always be built by applying presentational elements to these classes.
However, more recent developments include RenovatioCMS
RenovatioCMS
RenovatioCMS is a free and open source CMS . It has been released under the GNU General Public License....
, a CMS
Content management system
A content management system is a system providing a collection of procedures used to manage work flow in a collaborative environment. These procedures can be manual or computer-based...
(Content Management System) containing editing software that supports HTML
HTML
HyperText Markup Language is the predominant markup language for web pages. HTML elements are the basic building-blocks of webpages....
, PHP
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
, SQL
SQL
SQL is a programming language designed for managing data in relational database management systems ....
, CSS
CSS
-Computing:*Cascading Style Sheets, a language used to describe the style of document presentations in web development*Central Structure Store in the PHIGS 3D API*Closed source software, software that is not distributed with source code...
and JavaScript
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
. The combination of these languages
Programming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
results in a more complex syntax. To help the author interpret the code, different aspects of the code (tags, strings
String (computer science)
In formal languages, which are used in mathematical logic and theoretical computer science, a string is a finite sequence of symbols that are chosen from a set or alphabet....
, subroutines
Subroutine
In computer science, a subroutine is a portion of code within a larger program that performs a specific task and is relatively independent of the remaining code....
and so forth) are highlighted or given different colours. This is comparable to the way code editing software like Notepad++
Notepad++
Notepad++ is a text editor and source code editor for Windows. One advantage of Notepad++ over the built-in Windows text editor, Notepad, is tabbed editing, which allows working with multiple open files.Notepad++ is distributed as free software...
or HTMLKit works. So instead of using mark-up during editing to illustrate the end result (WYSIWYG), mark-up is used to illustrate the meaning and functionality of different parts of the code.
There is another project whose objective is defining a new architecture that allows the use of pure WYSIWYM editors. The structure of the documents is defined by means of a language, called WebCS, that is specifically designed for this goal. The created contents are saved in XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
, tagged semantically. In order to give the contents their final appearance, the WebCS structures have an associated XSL
Extensible Stylesheet Language
In computing, the term Extensible Stylesheet Language is used to refer to a family oflanguages used to transform and render XML documents....
transformation, which guides the conversion of this XML to its final format (XHTML
XHTML
XHTML is a family of XML markup languages that mirror or extend versions of the widely-used Hypertext Markup Language , the language in which web pages are written....
or whatever desired file format).
In this system, the separation of presentation and content is performed by the pair XML-XSL, so it is made in an upper level of the separation given by HTML-CSS. On the other hand, the definition of new structures and transformations are a bit harder and require more knowledge. Although implementing final software is not a goal of this project, there is an editor (WebCS Editor) available for demonstration purposes.
Other CMS are moving into the direction of providing some WYSIWYM interface for their users editing content. Tiki Wiki CMS/Groupware version 7.0 is one of them, by means of using Codemirror in-browser editing software.
See also
- WYSIWYM (Meant)WYSIWYM (Meant)What You See Is What You Meant allows users to create abstract knowledge representations such as those required by the Semantic Web using a natural language interface. Interestingly, no attempt at natural language understanding is made...
- WYSIWYGWYSIWYGWYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
- Separation of presentation and contentSeparation of presentation and contentSeparation of presentation and content is a common idiom, a design philosophy, and a methodology applied in the context of various publishing technology disciplines, including information retrieval, template processing, web design, web development, word processing, desktop publishing,...
- RDFaCERDFaCERDFaCE is an online RDFa content editor based on TinyMCE. It supports different views for semantic content authoring and uses existing semantic Web APIs to facilitate annotating and editing of RDFa contents....
External links
- RDFaCE - an open source RDFa Editor based upon the WYSIWYM principle
- RenovatioCMS - A free and open source content management system based upon the WYSIWYM principle
- WYMeditor - Standards compliant open source WYSIWYM web-based editor
- Extension:MeanEditor - An extension for Mediawiki providing a WYSIWYM editor based on WYMeditor
- LyX - LyX, a WYSIWYM document processor.
- scenari-platform.org - ScenariScenariScenari is an open source software suite that introduce a new methodology to edit and publish multimedia documents.The author of a document on Scenari applications only have to fill and organize the content in the editor without thinking about its presentation for a particular output media...
, a WYSIWYM XML-based editing and publishing Open Source software - VHWX - Vigorous Hive WYSIWYM editor for XML