ISO/IEC JTC1/SC18/WG8 **N1789**

ISO/IEC JTC1/SC18/WG8\
Document Processing and Related Communication---\
Document Description and Processing Languages

  -------------------- --------------------------------------------------
  Title:               Annual Report of the Convenor of WG8 to SC18

  Source:              J. D. Mason

  Project:             All WG8 projects

  Status of document:  Convenor\'s report (prepared before the conclusion
                       of the July 1995 meeting of WG8)

  Requested action:    For information of SC18

  Summary of major     WG8 project status, target dates, assignments,
  points:              meeting schedule

  Date:                9 June 1995
  -------------------- --------------------------------------------------

# Annual Report of the Convenor of ISO/IEC JTC1/SC18/WG8 {#annual-report-of-the-convenor-of-isoiec-jtc1sc18wg8 .TL}

# 1. Title of Working Group

Document Description and Processing Languages

**Convenor:** Dr. James David Mason

# 2. Terms of Reference

To produce standards for languages and resources for the description and
processing of compound and hypermedia documents, including:

• Reference and operational models for WG8 projects

• Standard Generalized Markup Language and support facilities

• Document processing architecture and formatting for documents
represented in SGML

• Final-form document architecture and Standard Page Description
Language

• Font architecture, interchange format, and services

• Glyph architecture and registration procedures

• Hypermedia document structuring language and application resources

• Content architectures and content notations for document architectures
defined or supported by "Document Description and Processing Languages"
standards. (Note: A content architecture may be a binding of a content
notation defined by SC18/WG5 or other standardization bodies.)

### WG8/RG1---DSSSL

Rapporteur: Ms. Sharon Adler

### WG8/RG2---Fonts

Rapporteur: Mr. Alan Griffee

### WG8/RG3---SGML

Rapporteur: Dr. Charles F. Goldfarb

### WG8/RG4---SPDL

Rapporteur: Dr. Steve Strasen

Rapporteur: Mr. Steve Zilles

### WG8/RG5---Hypermedia Languages

Rapporteur: Dr. Charles F. Goldfarb

# 3. Annual Status Summary

Since the 1994 plenary of SC18 held at Arlington (Washington), WG8 has
held three regular meetings and five meetings of rapporteur groups.
Participation has remained at an average of 20 experts in attendance,
representing eight national bodies (Canada, Denmark, France, Japan,
Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, and United States), three external
liaison bodies (SGML Users\' Group, Association for Font Information
Interchange \[AFII\], and CERN), and one other SC18 working group and a
special project. We have also had participants from a nation that is not
a member of JTC1, Taiwan, as guests of AFII. WG8 has also established
liaison with a Working Group of the IETF to develop an Internet RFC on
the use of SGML in the MIME file-interchange mechanism. In the past
year, WG8 has published one standard, ISO/IEC 10180, SPDL. In addition
to our completed ISO standards and technical reports, we have two
projects at DIS status, two reports out for CD ballot, a draft technical
report being circulated, and new projects under development.For this
high level of activity, WG8 can continue to give several reasons. Aside
from the general interest of WG8\'s projects to the publishing and
technical documentation community, we have continued to benefit from the
many organizational adoptions of applications of our work, including an
increasing number of governmental and private bodies. We are
particularly pleased at the increased presence of SGML on the Internet,
notably through the World-Wide Web (WWW).

WG8 is moving towards electronic distribution of its documents. In the
past year, the WG8 Convenor has established both an FTP server and a WWW
server to provide access to WG8 documents. In the past year WWW browsers
have been made available that allow viewing of SGML documents tagged
with user-defined SGML applications, in addition to the well-known HTML
application. With this in mind, WG8 has developed a DTD for its internal
papers and will be distributing them over the Web.

We expect that the next year will maintain the current momentum,
sustaining the rapid development of our projects. Our continuing high
level of participation this year has been gratifying.

# 4. 1994--95 Meetings

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  *Regular meetings*         

  Oslo, Norway               24--30 August 1994

  Los Gatos, California      6--10 February 1995

  Dublin, Ireland            17--21 July 1995

  *Special meetings, DSSSL*  

  Los Gatos, California      30 January--3 February 1995

  Montpellier, France        3--7 April 1995

  Sunnyvale, CA              12--16 June 1995

  Dublin, Ireland            10--14 July 1995
  -------------------------- --------------------------------------------

# 5. Project Summaries

WG8 presently has its original two primary projects, JTC1.18.15,
*Computer Languages for Processing Text*, and JTC1.18.27, *Description
and Identification of Glyph Fonts*. These are divided into subprojects,
which are listed in detail in the attached *Programme of Work*. WG8 has
also been assigned several later projects, also described below and
listed in the *Programme*.

## Project JTC1.18.15.1, SGML (ISO 8879:1986)

SGML is a completed standard for which an amendment has been published.
It was reaffirmed by JTC1 balloting at its five-year review in 1991. A
comprehensive internal review to determine what revisions or
enhancements are desired as a result of evolving user requirements
during SGML\'s years of use is continuing. Work has continued on a class
and object model for SGML. The work item for a binary representation of
SGML documents (Project JTC1.18.40) is being held for further
development in conjunction with the revision of the primary standard.

## Project JTC1.18.15.2, Model

WG8 has balloted PDTR 11585 *Operational Model for Document Description
and Processing Languages,* and has responded to comments. A revised text
has been prepared for DTR ballot.

## Project JTC1.18.3, Vocabulary (TR 9544)

The Vocabulary was published several years ago, and a new editor is
considering a revision.

## Project JTC1.18.15.5, Text-Entry Systems

Only one project remains under this item, Project JTC1.18.15.5.1,
*Guidelines for SGML Syntax-Directed Editors* (ISO TR 10037), which was
published as ISO/IEC TR 10037.

## Project JTC1.18.15.6, Text Composition

Both projects in this group remain at approved DIS level and are
proceeding with the preparation of final texts. Both projects have
worked with WG4 on the *Document Printing Application*.

### Project JTC1.18.15.6.1, Document Style Semantics and Specification Language, ISO/IEC DIS 10179

The second DIS ballot on DSSSL succeeded with only one negative vote.
The coments are being resolved and a final text is in preparation. The
final publication date is expected to be September 1995.

### Project JTC1.18.15.6.2, Standard Page Description Language, ISO/IEC DIS 10180

The SPDL project has delivered its final text to ISO for publication.

## Project JTC1.18.15.7 SGML Support Facilities

The first and third parts of this project, *SDIF* (ISO 9069) and
*Registration* (ISO/IEC 9070), have been published. An amendment to
ISO/IEC 9070 was approved that provides for equivalencies of structured
names in SGML and ASN.1 representations of documents and makes ISO 9070
a generalized naming standard that is aligned with ISO 8824. A second
edition of ISO/IEC 9070 has been published, and another amendment is
planned that will change its title and scope to reflect its expanded
functions.

*Techniques for Using SGML* (ISO TR 9573) is being revised to add some
new parts and to merge informative material that has been carried as
parts of other projects. The part on public entities for mathematical
and scientific publishing (including material that was in the annexes to
ISO 8879) has already been published as Part 13. The part that documents
the SGML-based system used by ISO Central Secretariat to produce texts
of standards has also been published as Part 11. Another part on public
entities for non-Latin alphabets has been balloted as Part 15 and ballot
responses are being considered. A part on an application for mathematics
and chemistry is being developed as Part 7. Parts 1--6, tutorials on the
SGML language and basic techniques, await completion of the revision
process for ISO 8879:1986.

## Project JTC1.18.27, Fonts

ISO/IEC 9541, Parts 1, *Architecture*, and 2, *Interchange Format*, and
ISO/IEC 10036, *Glyph and Glyph Collection Registration Procedures,*
have been published. Part 3 of ISO/IEC 9541, *Glyph Shape
Representation*, is complete and has been forwarded for publication.
Work on Part 4 of 9541, *Application-Specific Requirements*, has been
initiated, and a text is being prepared for CD registration and ballot.
Technical Corrigendum 3 to 9541-1 and Technical Corrigendum 2 to 9541-2
were processed and published. PDAM 1 to 9541-1 is being balloted. PDAM 1
to 10036 was drafted and balloted; comments were resolved and DAM 1 is
being balloted.

The *Font Services* project (JTC1.18.33) has generated little work in
the past year. However, a new editor has been appointed, and a new
schedule is being developed.

## Project JTC1.18.36, ISO/IEC DIS 13673, Conformance Testing for SGML Systems

This project, developed within the U.S. National Body (though with
international consultation), has been moved into JTC1. Final text has
been prepared and will be delivered for publication.

## Project JTC1.18.39.1 Standard Music Description Language (SMDL)

This project was balloted as a CD and was held for the completion of
HyTime, of which it is an application. WG8 has prepared a text for DIS
10743 and transmitted it to SC18 for ballot.

## Project JTC1.18.39.2, Hypermedia/Time-based Structuring Language (HyTime)

ISO/IEC 10744 is a published standard. A technical corrigendum has been
balloted, comments are being analyzed and a final text is being
prepared.

## Project JTC1.18.43, Standard Multimedia/hypermedia Scripting Language (SMSL)

WG8 has prepared a text for CD 13240 and transmitted it to SC18 for
ballot. Liaison continues with SC29 in the general area of
multimedia/hypermedia and with WG1 on the subject of the
multimedia/hypermedia model.

# 6. Programme of Work, Assignment, and Schedule of Meetings, together with the Recommendations of the April Meeting

WG8 documents N1790 and N1791, attached.