XML Authoring Solutions for the Pocket PC

Windows CE has strong implementations of XML / XSL and Javascript; the  HTML Application / AJAX architecture used for our Windows authoring solutions can also be applied to Pocket PC.

It's absolutely feasible to use the same XML document files on Pocket PC and under Windows or other desktop operating systems. Even large and complex XML documents can be viewed, updated and even composed from scratch on the PDA - see our Case Study for the Building Inspection Reports application. The screenshot at right shows part of a large XML file (46KB, and 30 A4 pages when printed) displayed using the special viewer that formed part of our handheld solution for the Inspection Reports. SMH Systems can provide: smart and convenient handheld viewers for business and technical data coded as XML files data capture and document authoring applications that work directly on XML files These solutions can be deployed to the handheld devices and used in a mobile disconnected mode, or can be delivered on demand from web servers using wireless links. Server-based on-demand applications can be used in office, warehouse or campus situations equipped with wireless LAN, or via public mobile data services and GPRS.

Document viewers can be optimised for your business content, usages, navigation and search requirements. Our solutions more effective, versatile and high-performance delivery of information than trying to employ the generic readers for PDFs and Word documents. They can be customised for the specific reference materials needed by your mobile workforce: product specifications, usage and safety instructions, catalogues and schedules, documentation and reports.

You can find examples of viewers on our website for Pocket PC. These include the Shakespeare Play Reader, and some "Disposable RSS Readers" for RSS feeds such as TV Programme Guides. These are all zero-footprint applications, loaded from the server when required.  Navigation and presentation is specifically designed for efficient location and display of the content on the handheld form factor. (These examples available August 2005).

Our Shakespeare Play Reader illustrates a viewer that is purpose-designed for a specific XML document type. You can use it to read all or part of a play - the navigation is designed for quick location of individual Acts and Scenes. There is also a "learn your lines" feature, which shows all the dialogue for a particular character. There's more information in the Case Studies, and you can use a Pocket PC with internet connection try it out. There's no software to install, just run the Play Reader directly from our website. The play files are versions of Shakespeare's works that have been marked up in SGML and put into the public domain. These are substantial XML documents, in the order of 200K-250K each, and demonstrate that modern Pocket PCs are well able to process documents of these dimensions and provide fast responses. The plays can either be loaded on demand from a server, or saved to the Pocket PC for immediate access.

For data capture or content authoring applications, design of the user interface is critical to project success. Key factors are ease of navigation, productivity of data entry, and acceptability to the users. Before committing to any data entry or authoring project we recommend to build and test mockups of the UI. A Proof-of-Concept exercise can verify (or question) whether the whole package including viewers, authoring and data transfer can work well in the hands of the intended users and under field conditions.

For both viewers and authors SMH Systems can offer:

• user interface and application design, development of Proof-of-Concept
• turnkey solutions for the Pocket PC, constructed to a fixed price and warranted
• to train and develop skills among your own staff, so you have the capabilities to build and maintain the applications
• all related XML work such as data analysis and document design, coding of schemas
• complementary applications for use on the desktop or on web servers
• consultancy for equipment selection and application deployment.

Need Mobile Solutions like these?  Interested in a Proof-of-Concept?  Call us today!.

Note - The Shakespeare Play Reader is not currently available for public use.