XSLfast' MultiLayout - how it works

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 26/08/2009 09:38:23

What is MultiLayout Manager

MultiLayout Manager is really old thing: it provides a way to combine many separate layouts to one XSL.

It has the following important limitations:

all layouts needs to use the same XML (XSD, DTD) structure.
all layouts should use the same page sizes, region sizes and the same page margins.
if certain region attached, it should be completed (both even/odd or first/rest).

What are page sequences

To understand how MultiLayout Manager works, please take tour on tutorial files from examples 7, 8 and 9. It made in both forms - for usual case and for MultiLayout Manager.

For example, while we opening example 9 (without _old suffix), we can see two page sequences defined in layout:

master page sequence
main page sequence, with odd and even regions.

Of course, you can use as much page sequences in layout as you need, and every page sequence able to use the separate regions (either even/odd type, or first/last/rest).

How to make the same in MultiLayout Manager?

In the same manner, to make the same result in MultiLayout Manager, you need also configure two page sequences (by typing separate group names for every page sequence). And in range of certain group, if you have more than one layout, you can specify if certain file is main ([x] body) or region ([x] header/footer). For region, you can specify its' type and exact position.

So, in MultiLayout manager you can combine layouts directly at the time it is necessary, without copying layout contents to your main layout file.