Xtags feature list

Data-side, tag-driven automated document building

Build documents dynamically, combining variable and static text and graphics, by inserting tags into the text stream prior to importation.

Add tags programmatically using Applescript, Visual Basic, or any other programming language which can address your original data and produce a text file. FileMaker and Access calculation fields are also excellent tools for introducing tags in your data. Insert tags manually in word processing documents as well.

Create and fill anchored text and picture boxes

Create and fill anchored text and graphics boxes in-line with the tagged text, controlling all properties of the anchored boxes, using appropriate tag parameters. You can fill a text box with further tagged text of any sort, and can fill a graphics box with a picture of any importable type.

Anchored boxes are fully supported on output as well.

Create and fill unanchored text and picture boxes

Create and fill unanchored boxes at the text insertion point, at an absolute position, at a position relative to another box, or on the pasteboard. Control all properties of the unanchored box, using appropriate tag parameters. These unanchored boxes can span columns and can be moved freely once imported.

Unanchored boxes (including groups of boxes) are supported on output as well.

Auto-size anchored or unanchored text and picture boxes

Fit a box to its contents horizontally and/or vertically, as well as fitting a picture to its box. Use various combinations of auto-sizing, such as fitting the picture to the box horizontally, then fitting the box to the resulting picture vertically.

Translation table tags

Build a set of string translations in a file which are applied to the input text, at a lower level than XPress Tag interpretation (so that the translation target strings may contain tags). These substitutions can be as simple as character replacement, or as complex as foreign front-end coding translation.

Macro definition tags

Use macros to simplify the invocation of common or complex tag and text sequences.

Apply Master Spread and Apply Master Page tags

Choose the master spread or page to be applied to the text at the point of invocation. With this facility, you can build fairly complex documents with input-driven per-spread or per-page layout.

Copy and paste Xtagged-text between documents, or between applications

Easily transfer or save document elements in textual form (for example, store a "freeze-dried" group of boxes in a database field).

Fully Scriptable for both input and output

All actions and options are scriptable under Mac OS using AppleScript. It can even input from and output to strings in your scripts, to avoid temporary file creation.

Tag formatting options for export

Choose to suppres style sheet definitions on export. Output separate tags for ease of search and replace (e.g., <B><I> vs. <BI>). Also select to omit default elements in any Xtags parameter list.

Use relative values in tags

For example, increase point size by 20%, omit parameters, and apply only the character settings from a style sheet to portions of a paragraph.

Advanced error reporting

Supports optional reporting as errors are encountered, creating a brief message directly in-line at the point of error (unlike XPress Tags, which simply gives up).