XR Content Management System

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“XR is an XML content management system that you can use even without XML knowledge - simple, intuitive and smart.“

Tobias Kreimann | Product Manager ECMS

If XML – then XR

The Product

The XR family is the consequent further development of the well-known TCToolbox and the consists of XR/system, the core of all XR applications. XR/engineering and XR/aviation are industry-specific standard applications for mechanical engineering and aviation based on XR/system.

The XR systems offer standardized industry applications which significantly reduce the time-to-market of your documentation. XR allows you to efficiently work on a clearly structured interface – even without any prior XML skills. No “one size fits all”, but optimized solutions tailored to selected industries and quickly deployed with minimum configuration effort. For the development of XR, we worked from the ground up to design an efficient, easy-to-use and scalable system. In this connection, the important key words are: Context-related working, high usability and a modern, lean architecture, facilitating straightforward and cost-effective updates.

... please also take a look at the interview with the sales representatives Björn Ferencz and Tom Küster:
(Only available in German)

Industry Solutions

The modular and flexible architecture of XR/systems enables the creation of editions that can be used directly in selected markets.

XR/engineering

XR/engineering is the solution for mechanical and plant engineering. The central focus is on the mostly automated creation of technical, plant and product-specific documentation:

Comprehensive options of classifying all content, including that based on PI classification
Automatic creation of maintenance tables, consumer goods and tool lists from the classified content in the editorial system
Highly flexible, feature-based variant management
Quick derivation and publication of documentation for product variants
Integration of supplier documentation as PDF
Quick start thanks to preconfigured workflows, roles, rights and standard publications (HTML5 and PDF)

XR/aviation

XR/aviation is the solution for the aviation industry. The central prerequisites for this segment include compliance with the highest regulatory requirements and safety standards – exactly what XR/aviation delivers. The focus is on the creation of aircraft-specific operations manuals, including the marking of variant information that enables the aircraft-specific use of the information by cockpit and cabin crew. An additional elementary function is the calculation and display of modification reasons. Regulatory authorities can reliably trace modifications, which accelerates the review and approval of documents.

The information structure is based on a DTD, optimized for the requirements of airline companies. Manufacturer documentation can be integrated and used in the manufacturer formats (PDF, XML)

XR/aviation supports the approval process by automatically generating transmittal letters and change descriptions for submission to approval bodies. The additionally integrated Compliance Assistant supports you in recording and reviewing EASA regulatory content.

XR/aviation is available as a basic version you can use immediately after just a few process-specific configuration steps.

Your Benefit

Server and client – modular, fast and flexible

The XR server consists of a robust, lean core and plugins, providing most of the CCMS functions. It uses structured interfaces to communicate with the plugins, the XR client and external applications. It is also scalable and optimized for high performance. Thanks to its modular structure, functions can be added in a controlled manner without affecting other components.

This poses a number of advantages:

Easy maintenance
Faster expandability
Simpler updates
Writing without detours

Editing and preview directly in the client – with or without tags. With the internal XR editor, you can create and edit contents directly in the XR client – in WYSIWYG mode, with Box View or via XML View.

Checking in and out occurs in the background.

Working with ease

A modern editorial system with an intuitively operated user interface, permitting context-related work. No more and no fewer than the very functions that are possible in the current context and that have been authorized for a given user are made available .

Reusing content

Documents consist of reusable modules – and modules are usually self-contained content objects. In this case, XR follows modern, topically aligned approaches, such as DITA.

Modules can contain references to graphics, media objects and any random small fragments. Fragments can consist of tables, warnings, etc. You can also reuse fragments, graphics and other media objects.

Editorial support and automation

XR helps to finish your tasks quickly and systematically. Complex tasks can be automated, while supporting functions and systems simplify your work:

Automatic generation of contents such as maintenance plans, spare parts lists, change lists
Utilization of templates, e.g., for risk analyses, tables, processes and procedures
XML editor independently searches for the correct insertion points for templates and elements
Internal author support: authordesk for terminology and phrase memory
External author support: Integration of third-party systems

Managing variability/variance

XR offers two efficient tools to simply and efficiently manage product variability in your documentation:

Feature-based validities at module and element level permit detailed variant management
An efficient variable concept also allows you to manage variable external or internal information (e.g., technical data, product information data) irrespective of the document

Tracking changes

A comparative function embedded in XR lets you display differences between document or module versions in various ways:

In the module preview
In the internal editor through the marking of changes
Via marked changes in change publications or condensed in a change history

Usage list

A list of all classified objects used in XR can be provided and distinguished:

Where are modules, graphics or fragments used?
What impact does the change of a content object have on the referencing objects?

External resources on demand

You can manage variable information such as spare parts information, on-screen texts, variants and data from an SAP system as “resources” and incorporate such at specified points in time, e.g., for publication.

Validation

You can trigger validation processes automatically or manually. Defined validation results are displayed via reports.

Connection to third-party systems

XR can be connected to additional systems via connectors. Standard connectors are available for:

authordesk, the Authoring-Memory-System of gds GmbH
Third-party systems for author support, linguistic, stylistic, terminology and grammar control, such as Acrolinx or Congree
ARC-Desk, the Reviewing and Approval System for reviewing and approving documentation

XR – ARCHITECTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

XR/system consists of several components, which form the base for the various editions:

XR-Server

XR-Server is the core component containing all of the basic functions. System integration is supported by efficient and structured interfaces.

The range of functions provided by the XR server can be expanded via plugins. Plugins are used to realize a variety of generic or customized functions.

Integration of third-party systems

Standardized or customized interfaces facilitate the integration of third-party systems such as SAP or Translation Memory systems.

XR-Client

XR-Client is the user interface. You can roll it out as a rich client, but also use it via remote app or a terminal server connection. The XR-Client is also expandable via plugins.

XR-Editor

With the efficient internal XR editor, you can create and edit contents directly in the XR-Client – in WYSIWYG mode, with Box View or via XML View.

Publication server and publication framework

Publications are created on a publication server. This puts less strain on the XR client and the client processor.

The new publication framework permits the efficient set-up of new publication routes. You can apply existing upstream processes, which ensure that all information is processed uniformly.

Technologies and standards

The current versions of the Microsoft SQL server are used as a database. The application makes intensive use of the XML functionalities provided by the SQL server from Microsoft.

Modules are only stored in the XML format. SGML support continues to be an available option.

Schema languages: DTDs, XML Schema, Schematron and Relax NG

Query languages: SQL and XQuery Transformation languages: XSLT and MetaMorphosis

NO FEAR OF BIG SYSTEMS

It is a mistake that content mangement systems are only worthwhile for large companies. Investing in an content mangement system can save a lot of time, money and nerves, even for smaller companies.

No matter how large your company is, we offer you the ideal entry into modular, professional documentation creation.

With XR/engineering complete, for example, we offer a solution for smaller companies with the same range of functions as XR/engineering. So you can grow with our professional and market-proven standard tools - without restrictions, without compromises.

Talk to us!

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Webinars, seminars and workshops

You want to learn more about this topic? Take advantage of our free webinars as of our seminars and workshops on this topic:

Webinars

The 60-minute webinars are free of charge. Please register at least 15 minutes beforehand.

Our tip:
If you don't have time for the webinar - just register anyway. You will receive a recording of the webinar after the event.

Please note that our webinars are held in German.

January 27, 2023, 10:00 a.m. | Das Änderungsmanagement in der Technischen Dokumentation

In regulierten Bereichen werden hohe Anforderungen an die Nachvollziehbarkeit von Änderungen in der Dokumentation gestellt, insbesondere, wenn auch Behörden die Dokumente vor der Publikation genehmigen müssen.

Aber auch in nicht-regulierten Bereichen können Konzepte und Funktionen für ein durchgängiges Änderungsmanagement wertvoll sein. Verfolgen Sie mit uns den Life Cycle einer Änderung von der Entstehung als Change Request über die Diskussion, Prüfung, Freigabe und Umsetzung bis hin zur Freigabe der neuen Dokumentversion sowie der Publikation in verschiedenen Medien.

Anschließend haben Sie per Chat die Möglichkeit, Fragen an uns zu richten.

Ihre Referentin:
Ilka Domberg | Senior Sales Engineer/Consultant | gds GmbH

Kostenfreie Anmeldung

Seminars and workshops

All seminars take place from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm. The registration fee is €380 plus VAT per person and includes beverages and a joint lunch.

The minimum number of participants is 5 persons. Please register by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. specifying your name, your company, the name of the seminar, its location and date.

Please note that our seminars are currently only available in German.

You can choose from a variety of seminar topics and workshops related to the content management system XR as well as to our other systems and services.

Of course, we also offer individual content tailored specifically to your needs - feel free to contact us for advice:

All webinars of the gds-group at a glance

Consulting Seminar/Workshop

Screenshots

editorial cockpit

explorer with filter options

create new document

import repository

document structure

easy editing - WYSIWYG

easy editing - XML view

status management

display differences between versions

configure team

tag structure

variable control

display version differences

translation management

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Note:
For reasons of improved readability, the generic masculine form is used in the German-language version of this website. This form shall be understood to be gender-neutral.