Oxygen XML Developer 18.0
April 21, 2016
Oxygen XML Developer version 18.0 includes new features and improvements to set the standards for XML developing even higher than our users are already accustomed to.
The new XML-aware three-way file comparison feature helps you solve conflicts and merge changes between multiple modifications of the same file. It is especially helpful for teams that have multiple authors working concurrently on the same documents.
When editing in Text mode, you can use the new rectangular selection feature to copy, cut, paste, or edit the content within the selection. This is useful for editing or copying content inside a rectangular area that spans across consecutive lines.
DITA content can be published using a new HTML5 publishing system called WebHelp Responsive. Nearly all aspects of its layout can be customized and it is adaptable to any device and screen size to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience. It also includes a variant that allows online users to provide feedback in your documentation.
The most commonly used documentation frameworks, DITA and DocBook have been updated. Oxygen now officially supports DITA 1.3 and the DITA Open Toolkit recent version 2.2.3 is offered in addition to the stable 1.8.5 version. The DocBook stylesheets were updated to version 1.79.1 and DocBook schemas to version 5.1.
As usual, Oxygen also added many new API and component updates for this release.
DocBook
Improved Annotations of DocBook Elements
The annotations that appear when you hover over elements in DocBook documents
have been improved to include the name of the element, a brief description, and a link to
the specification.
DocBook XSL Version 1.79.1
Updated DocBook XSL to the latest version 1.79.1.
DocBook 5.1 Schemas
The DocBook schemas were updated to the latest version 5.1.
XML Refactoring
Custom XML Refactoring Operations
You can create your own custom XML refactoring operations and share them with
other team members. These custom operations are now supported in all editions of
Oxygen.
CSS
Improvements to Content Completion in CSS
When entering CSS selectors in the CSS editor, the Content
Completion Assistant will now offer a list of pseudo-elements and pseudo-classes that are
available for the particular CSS profile. Also, after @media or
@import rules, it will now offer a list of supported media
types.
Shortcut to Open Resources in CSS Files
When editing CSS or LESS stylesheets, you can now quickly open imported
stylesheets or other resources (such as images) in the default system application for the
particular type of resource, using a new shortcut (Ctrl+Single-Click or
Command+Single-Click on OS X).
Content Completion
Customization of Content Completion Proposals
The elements and attributes that are proposed in the Content Completion
Assistant can be customized for each framework by using a configuration file. You can
configure the values that are proposed, customize the elements or attributes that are
proposed, or specify a global list of elements or attributes that will be available for a
particular framework.
Quick Search in the Content Completion Proposals List
When entering a search string in the Content Completion
Assistant, it presents proposals that start with the prefix entered
as the search string, followed by items that contain the search string. For
example, in an XML document, if you enter 'list', the Content
Completion Assistant will propose 'list' and
'orderedlist'. Note that for the Oxygen Eclipse plugin, this
feature is only available in Author mode.
Schemas
Multi-Lingual Support in Schematron Validation Messages
You can now specify a language to be used for Schematron validation messages
with an option in the Schematron preferences page and they can be
presented in multiple languages by defining the language for each message using Schematron
diagnostics.
File Comparison Tool
Three-Way File Comparison Support
A three-way file comparison feature was added to the file
comparison tool to help you solve conflicts and merge changes between multiple
modifications. It is especially helpful for teams who have multiple authors editing and
committing the same documents. It provides a comparison between a local change, a remote
change, and the base (ancestor) revision.
Multiple Algorithms for Three-Way Comparisons
You can use Lines, XML Fast, and XML
Accurate algorithms for the three-way comparison feature in the file
comparison tool and in the Compare view in Syncro SVN
Client.
Second-Level Comparison
The File Comparison tool now automatically performs a second
level comparison for the Lines, XML Fast, and
XML Accurate algorithms. After the first comparison is finished, the
second level comparisons are processed on text nodes using a word level comparison,
meaning that it looks for identical words. This second level comparison makes it easier to
spot precise differences and you can merge or reject the precise
modifications.
Ignore Nodes by XPath Option
A new option was added on the toolbar of the File Comparison
tool and in the Compare view in the Syncro SVN Client. You can enter an
XPath 2.0 expression to ignore certain nodes when comparing using the XML
Fast or XML Accurate algorithms.
API
A detailed list of all changes to the Java API can be found here.
Get Global Actions Map
The StandalonePluginWorkspace.getActionsProvider() method allows you to obtain
global actions that are defined in Oxygen.
Present Specialized Dialog Box when Double-Clicking a Tag
The EditPropertiesHandler interface allows you to present a specialized dialog box
when the action of double-clicking an element tag is intercepted. For example, you could
use it to present a dialog box that allows the user to editing the properties of an image.
Notification of Batch Close Operations
The WSEditorChangeListener.editorsAboutToBeClosed(URL[], int) method can be
overwritten to receive notifications of batch close operations (such as
Close All or Close Others).
Notification when a Document Type is Reconfigured
The WSEditorListener.documentTypeExtensionsReconfigured() listener API can be
overwritten to receive notifications when a document type (framework) association is
re-detected for an opened XML document.
API to Perform Manual or Automatic Validation
The WSEditor.checkValid(boolean automatic) method can be used to perform either
manual or automatic validation.
Make Opened Resource Read-Only
The WSEditor.setEditable(boolean) method can be used to make an opened resource
read-only to prevent changes from being made to it.
Launch File Comparison Tool for Two URLs
The StandalonePluginWorkspace.openDiffFilesApplication(URL, URL) method allows you
to launch a file comparison tool for two URLs to compare different revisions of a
file.
Get or Set Values of Global Options
The GlobalOptionsStorage API allows you to get or set the values of certain global
options in Oxygen.
Add Custom Actions to the Menu Shortcut Keys Preferences Page
The ActionsProvider.registerAction API allows you to register a new action in the
application and the action will be added to the list in the Menu Shortcut
Keys options page. Thus, you can assign a shortcut key to the new action either
via the API or from the Menu Shortcut Keys Preferences
page.
Notification when Oxygen Eclipse Plugin Starts
The EclipseWorkspaceAccessPluginExtension plugin extension point can be used to
notify another plugin when the Oxygen Eclipse plugin is started or before it is
closed. The other plugin can use the API, for example, to add or remove various
listeners.
Access Parent Editor from any Mode
The WSEditorPage.getParentEditor() API allows you to access the
parent editor that contains all the editing modes
(Text, Author, Grid).
Customize Pop-ups, Menus, and Toolbars from a Single Implementation
The StandalonePluginWorkspace.addMenusAndToolbarsContributorCustomizer method allows
you to customize contextual menus, main menus and toolbars throughout the application, all
from a single implementation.
Other
Upgraded Support for EAD 3.0
Support for creating, editing, and validating Encoded Archival Description
(EAD) documents has been updated to include version 3.0.
Special Improvements for Comparing JSON Files
When using the Compare Files tool on two JSON files, the
Format and Indent action will automatically sort the keys in both files
to make it easier to compare the files.
HTML5 Content Completion Support in XSLT
HTML5 elements (such as video and canvas) are
included in the proposals offered by the Content Completion Assistant for XSL
files.
Wildcards Allowed in Resource Names
When configuring a list of libraries in the document type associations
(frameworks) or in the list of libraries associated to an ANT or DITA OT transformation
scenario, the library file names can be specified using wildcards (for example,
${framework}/lib/*.jar).
Rectangular Selection
A new rectangular selection feature allows you to edit, copy, cut, paste, or
delete content in Text mode. This is useful for managing content inside a
rectangular area that spans across consecutive lines.
Print Line Numbers
If line numbers are displayed in the Text mode editor, you now
have the option to include them in the printed output.
Print Selected Text
You now have the ability to print a selection of text rather than the entire
document. When you invoke the print action with a block of content selected, a dialog box
will be presented that offers you the choice to print the selection or the entire
document.
Print Folded Document
You can now print XML documents that are opened in Text mode
in their folded state. This applies to printing an entire document and
not selections within a document.
Export Database Resources
A new contextual menu action (Export) in the Data
Source Explorer view allows you to export the folder on the remote connection
to a local folder. This applies to WebDAV, SharePoint, Documentum, Berkeley, MarkLogic,
and eXist connections.
Option to Clear History in Various Drop-Down Menus
Various drop-down menus now have a Clear History option at the
bottom of the list. As the name implies, it allows you to clear the history of your past
selections in the particular drop-down menu.
Added More Refactoring Actions for XSLT Stylesheets
When editing XSLT documents, some actions were added to the
Refactoring submenu (available from the contextual menu or
Document menu). The Extract Function action extracts a
selected XSLT instructions sequence into a new function. Also, the Create Local
Variable action creates an XSLT variable, wrapped around the
selection.
Encode/Decode Base 64, Base 32, and Hex Encoding Schemes
Some actions were added to the contextual menu in Text mode
that allow you to decode or encode content. The actions are available for Base
64, Base 32, and Hex encoding/decoding
schemes. This is especially helpful for testing SOAP requests when responses are encoded
in a particular scheme.
Improvements for Editing JSON Documents
You now have the possibility of running XPath expressions when editing JSON
documents and they can be mapped in the Grid editing mode.
Support for Installing Saxon 9.7 as an Add-on
Even though Saxon 9.7 does not come bundled with Oxygen, you can install it
as an add-on. This external transformer can be used for XSLT and XQuery transformation and
validation scenarios.
Component Updates
EpubCheck 4.0.1
Support for EpubCheck was updated to version 4.0.1.
Apache FOP PDF Generation Library
Updated Apache FOP PDF generation library to version 2.1.
Apache XML Graphics Commons 2.1
Updated Apache XML Graphics Commons to the latest version, 2.1.
JIDE 3.6.12
The JIDE library was updated to version 3.6.12.
JATS 1.1
Updated JATS schemas to version 1.1 by including the JATSKit Oxygen
framework.
Batik SVG Rendering Library 1.8
Updated Batik SVG rendering library to version 1.8.
TEI Schema 3.0.0
Updated TEI Schema to version 3.0.0.
TEI XSL 7.41.0
Updated TEI XSL stylesheets version to 7.41.0.
HttpClient 4.5.1
Updated the HttpClient library and its dependencies to version
4.5.1.