[odf-discuss] Mars: XMLisation of PDF - opportunity for ODF?

[Daniel Carrera]

Hello all,

There is an interesting project at Adobe, called Mars, to make an XML
representation of PDF files:

http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Mars

What's interesting is that it is stored in an ODF container. By that I
mean that it is a JAR file and  META-INF/container.xml says:

<container version="1.0"
xmlns="urn:oasis:names:tc:opendocument:xmlns:container">
  <relationships xmlns:pdf="http://ns.adobe.com/pdf/2006">
    <relationship type="pdf:metadata" target="$path.xmp"/>
    <relationship type="pdf:ann" target="$path.ann"/>
  </relationships>
</container>

At first glance, it looks like it should be possible to make a file that
is simultaneously a valid ODF and a valid Mars document. Think of the
possibilities. Very cool...

Each page is stored in its own directory, which looks like this:

page/0 $ ls
f_2030206195-5.fd    im_2030206195-2.png  pg.svg
im_2030206195-1.png  info.xml

The main page content is in pg.svg. Includes the text body and drawings.
As you can see, you put any bitmap files needed right in that directory.
The *.fd looks like a font declaration. info.xml is just a short meta
file.

The top-level directories (color, page, META-INF) don't seem to conflict
with ODF. It really does look like you could put both documents in the
same Zip file, except for the contents of mimetype. This might even be
what Adobe had in mind.

Any comments? What do you think of this idea of putting an ODF and Mars
document in the same file? I think it has some promise:

* Makes ODF viewers much easier to make. At first glance it looks like
the Fellowship could make a Mars viewer better than the ODF viewer in
less time.

* Pumps ODF for long-term archival.

* Having Adobe and its products support ODF would be a major boost.

Comments?

Cheers,
Daniel.
-- 
"I AM in shape. Round IS a shape."
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 191 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
Url : http://lists.opendocumentfellowship.com/pipermail/odf-discuss/attachments/20061107/c1bb585b/attachment-0002.pgp