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1Tl1L PUBLISHINOAET <br />dote Acrobat PDFStudio,` Liti[E <br />lobe Acrobat,Adobe <br />Zoning Hu Open � <br />(Page-fl pping/Fla; <br />LaTeX Gen <br />information. Instead of (or in addition to) the <br />user navigating a tong document, the content <br />is contained in a database, with the author <br />setting rules for how the information is <br />returned. If knowledge bases gain wider use <br />in the planning industry, it will be interesting <br />to see how this impacts the way plans and <br />codes are structured and administered. <br />SELECTING A DIGITAL PUBLISHING METHOD <br />Planning agencies should carefully consider <br />how they wilt balance cost and complexity <br />when selecting a digital publishing method <br />and take into account factors like competing <br />document management goals (e.g., features <br />versus ease of use), operational context <br />(e.g., large versus small department; num- <br />ber of amendments per year), and external <br />constraints (e.g., budget; expertise; legal/IT <br />considerations). Suggested evaluation crite- <br />ria are provided below. <br />Long/Highly Structured Documents <br />Ensure that the solution is appropriate for <br />long, complex documents. While it might be <br />possible to efficiently generate a handful of <br />pages using any web publishing method, <br />consider that the layout and publishing <br />tasks will be multiplied by dozens or hun- <br />dreds of pages. <br />,n«inw;r0, <br />5) =lssuu Anyflfp Pub HT <br />ahelP' HelP,8&Manual'_ <br />✓.!ii`St�N'4r:��.^:''iird%fiA6`Wc�wn^;f�ryr%iY1�M�!wl'��. <br />era tivE Stud o, Civic Plus <br />Existing Document Format <br />Is the document being written from scratch <br />or converted from an existing file? Review the <br />solution's importing capabilities to determine if <br />itwill accept existing file formats, and whether <br />any pre -import formatting cleanup is needed. <br />Feature Comparison <br />As noted in the previous section, each publish- <br />ing method has trade-offs, and it is important <br />to understand the features and limitations <br />of a given application or service. Beyond the <br />baseline characteristics of modern digital <br />documents identified in the previous section, <br />there are a range of additional features that <br />can further enhance a digital publication. <br />Authors should also understand <br />whether a digital publishing service includes <br />publication of the entire regulatory or policy <br />document. This is particularly the case with <br />the cloud -based, SaaS publishing method. <br />Some digital publishing services may adver- <br />tise a host of attractive online features, but <br />in converting the existing zoning code or <br />comprehensive plan, the service may only <br />selectively repackage certain portions of the <br />document for the final output (e.g., <br />commonly referenced regulations like zoning <br />district dimensional standards and allowed <br />uses). If the published document —regardless <br />of features— depends on readers referring <br />to a secondary document to access the full <br />scope of applicable policies or regulations, <br />an author should consider whether this <br />represents an overall improvement in how <br />relevant information is communicated. <br />Below are zo useful features and <br />document characteristics to consider when <br />selectinga digital publication method. <br />O Source content control <br />© Table of contents <br />O Dynamic search <br />• Hyperlinks <br />• Responsive layout <br />• Styles and automatic numbering <br />O Cross-referencing <br />O Images <br />O Tables <br />© Autonomous server <br />O Templates <br />O Independent HTML and CSS <br />O GIS Integration <br />• Multichannel publishing <br />O Annotations <br />• Built-in calculators <br />O Support for all devices <br />O Video integration <br />O Tracked changes <br />• Hover -over and drop -down text <br />ZONINGPRACTICE so.17 <br />AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION [page 5 <br />