Readability of DEFINE.XML

Readability

Dear Matt,

First of all. Are you working with Define-XML v.1.0 or Define-XML v.2.0?

Important is to understand that define.xml is in first instance a machine-readable document, and only in second instance a human-readable document (visualization through a stylesheet).
As Define-XML is in first instance a machine-readable document, there is no formatting. You can try doing something with the stylesheet, but that requires some knowledge of XSLT.
If you have longer comments, and/or want to have or keep formatting, you should seriously consider having these comments in a separate PDF document and reference this (including page numbers if you want) from within your define.xml document. If you use Define-XML v.2.0 this is very well realizable: please read sections 4.1 and 5.3.14 (def:CommentDef) and the description of the use of the def:DocumentRef child element in the Define-XML specification.

Important: if you use a "black box tool" for generating your define.xml, and are not happy with the result as you don't have full control over what is happening, than edit the result either using a good XML editor, or using one of the other Define-XML tools available on the market where you have full control.

And first of all: read the Define-XML specification! You can easily find it on the CDISC website. Also not a bad idea to take a 1-day Define-XML course from CDISC. My experience as an official CDISC Define-XML instructor is that people like you only really understand Define-XML after they took the course.

Hope this was a kind answer...

Jozef Aerts
CDISC Define-XML Development Team

large comments

Hi Matt,

Welcome!  Yes, good approach to break comments into a separate document, makes it more readable.

thanks, Travis

Hi Jozef, thanks so much for…

Hi Jozef, thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me.

I'm using Define 2.0 and I think that linking a separate PDF document is a good idea; simpler than editing the XML file.

I would like to take a course and will look into that.

Kind Regards,

Matt

Linking to a specific page number

Hi,

I created a separate PDF document and want to refer to specifi page numbers within it rather than the first page of the pdf.

I've tried this so many different ways but unsuccessfully.

I'm using Office 2010, Adobe Proffesional and creating using Define 2.0.

Thanks,

Matt

Linking to a specific page number

Dear Matt,

This is very well explained in the Define-XML v.2.0 specification on page 23 (example near the bottom) - READ IT!
Here is an XML example:
<def:DocumentRef leafID="LF.blankcrf">
    <def:PDFPageRef PageRefs="6" Type="PhysicalRef"/>
</def:DocumentRef>

and for the "leaf" (as an example):
<def:leaf ID="LF.blankcrf" xlink:href="blankcrf.pdf">
   <def:title>Annotated Case Report Form</def:title>
</def:leaf>

If the tool that you use does not give you the desired result, learn the basics of XML (takes you 2-3 hours) and correct using an XML-editor in the define.xml itself.