I made a mistke sending a large attachment last time that didn't get through mail filters even mine, so let me try again. I read about xml it the idea sounds great but I fail when I try to convert xml to other formats. What exactly is needed in the xml and dtd files to allow one to run: xmlto pdf file.xml or xmlto html file.xml Let us take the html case. The dtd file that is associted with my fiel is included below: <!-- DTD for testaments J. Bosak --> <!-- Early versions 1992-1998 --> <!-- Major revision Copyright (c) Jon Bosak September 1998 --> <!ENTITY % plaintext "#PCDATA|i"> <!ELEMENT tstmt (coverpg?,titlepg?,preface?,(bookcoll|suracoll)+)> <!ELEMENT coverpg ((title|title2)+, (subtitle|p)*)> <!ELEMENT titlepg ((title|title2)+, (subtitle|p)*)> <!ELEMENT title (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT title2 (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT subtitle (p)+> <!ELEMENT preface ((ptitle|ptitle0)+, p+, witlist?)+> <!ELEMENT witlist (witness)+> <!ELEMENT ptitle (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT ptitle0 (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT witness (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT bookcoll (book|sura)+> <!ELEMENT book (bktlong, bktshort, epigraph?, bksum?, chapter+)> <!ELEMENT suracoll (sura+)> <!ELEMENT sura (bktlong, bktshort, epigraph?, bksum?, v+)> <!ELEMENT bktlong (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT bktshort (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT bksum (p)+> <!ELEMENT chapter (chtitle, chstitle?, epigraph?, chsum?, (div+|v+))> <!ELEMENT chtitle (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT chstitle (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT div (divtitle, v+)> <!ELEMENT divtitle (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT chsum (p)+> <!ELEMENT epigraph (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT p (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT v (%plaintext;)*> <!ELEMENT i (%plaintext;)*> Now when I look at this file I find it confusing. It looks to me like when I do a xmlto html on the file: 1. the <p> will be removed, and they are. But that is a disaster for the HTML processor. 2. Any <v> would be removed. They are but the xmlto process complains about the <v>. So where have I gone wrong ans what needs to be done? -- ======================================================================= Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life, those the art of living well. -- Aristotle ======================================================================= Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx