Jeffrey Vargas TONY

XML Workflow for Time Out New York’sPublishing System: 

XML Workflow for Time Out New York’s Publishing System How XML ties into our print and online properties

TONY Pre-XML Workflow: 

TONY Pre-XML Workflow Articles exported as HTML files with some formatting included Only “Critic’s Picks” listings posted on-line; bulk of listings were available only in print. Film listings manually formatted for online Listings for print maintained by individual editors (non-central, non-standard formats) Editors responsible for individual listings creation and formatting Only one section used a centralized listing system, customized to their section

Pre-XML Workflow Limitations: 

Pre-XML Workflow Limitations No centralized location for listing information No online version of listings Very manual process, done entirely post-production All formatting has to be done manually by editors Very little automation of process from start-to-end Listings information is locked in articles; not repurposed or easily re-used Film listings provided and handled separately

TONY Entities: 

TONY Entities Time Out New York publishes content weekly in our print edition and repurposes the print content to feed our website, timeout.com/newyork/ TONY operates a listings database that editors use to add and update event and venue information. On the back-end, TONY uses an XML repository to store copy-edited event/venue information from the listings database and articles from the print edition to the website The listings database receives external feeds for film listings which are posted in print and online as well. The feeds are imported into the system through an automated process and the listings for the website are automatically exported and uploaded to the website post-import. The listings database performs an automated export every night to feed the XML repository with updated events information. Information that has not been re-imported into the listings database does not get exported, keeping non-copy-edited information from appearing online.

TONY XML Workflow: 

TONY XML Workflow XML HTML Files (Film) XML XSL Listings Copy edited listings XML listings for Web Listings DB Editors

TONY XML Process: 

TONY XML Process Editors enter event and venue information into listings database, a central repository providing reusable information with granular details Listings from external providers are automatically imported into database Exported listings have custom-built XSLT applied to produce print-ready format Copy-edited listings are returned for re-importing into database; updated listings are “flagged” and become ready for export-to-web Listings are exported to XML repository nightly and HTML film files are exported twice-daily.

Benefits of XML Workflow: 

Benefits of XML Workflow Allows easy transfer of data from database to layout/editing program and back XML use allows automated styling of data on import, making process more efficient through XML-based global-formatting Common-language/open-source platform that allows easy conversion/formatting of data for multiple uses – print, online, etc. Enables integration of 3rd party information into our print and online offerings using an existing standard and format XML is offered as a standard format for most common layout and edit programs Easy to archive article and listing information and retrieve content for reuse/repurposing Automation saves online and edit staff time formerly spent converting content; centralized location for majority of content gives us easier way to repurpose listings for other mediums

XML Repository: 

XML Repository XML Repository Listings Database Listings Online Editors Articles (XML) Website