Guide Passport from InfoAccess


Their Pitch

Guide Passport is a new Windows-based solution that uses templates to automatically generate electronic publications from existing word processor documents. The new system automatically maps elements from current documents to create hypermedia-linked publications specially formatted for on-screen display. Guide Passport begins the translation process by importing word processor documents and structural elements, such as style names and text patterns. The next step involves creating a template using the original file elements as the framework, and associating them with on-screen appearance and behavioral attributes. At the push of a button, Guide Passport automatically builds the electronic publication based on the template settings. Default options automate the process even further by linking a table of contents from the existing heading styles, inserting frame breaks, and placing custom control panels.

Our Gist

Guide Passport takes an existing formatted document and uses the styles to create headers and a table of contents through the use of the Guide Translator. The split screen in Guide Reader allows the user to simultaneously view both the generated table of contents and the information under the corresponding heading. The high level of automation is very appealing: translation of word processor files is literally done by clicking a few buttons. However, in order to realize all the benefits of this application, the author or publisher must specifically format the original information with the final output in mind. It handles 12083... Unfortunately, a document tagged in SGML will not provide any sort of advantage. The way the Guide Passport translates the tags is as straight text. There is no way to adapt the output formatting scheme to accept and decipher the tagging found in a document marked up according to ISO 12083. One would have to create a style sheet for a word processor and from there import the file into Guide.

Final Word

It does what it is intended to do efficiently and the design is very attractive and user friendly. But the Guide Passport is not a solution for translating SGML documents into any final output format. "It is an alternative to paper that will relieve field technicians of carrying heavy manuals into repair sights." So if you publish in or for places which are weight or space restrictive, not easily accessible - such as a submarine or airplane- or information sensitive, this tool is for you.

List price -- $1875. Call Frances Bigley at 1-800-344-9737 for information on InfoAccess and Guide Passport


More product reviews

Return to the EPSIG home page