XML & XSL Fast Start · 2nd Edition

Need a precise, focused training guide for XML XSL? Get this 130-page Fast Start guide to quickly learn XML XSL fundamentals. Regardless of whether you are an IT manager, developer, administrator or an advanced user, this Fast Start guide will help you learn the essential concepts needed to successfully work with XML XSL.

Covers all versions of XML XSL.

What is XML? XML, or eXtensible Markup Language, is a metalanguage. That is, it’s a language that can be used to describe other languages and a specification for storing information. Although XML and HTML may seem to have a lot in common, in reality the difference between them is like the difference between night and day.

HTML is used to format information, but it isn’t very useful when it comes to describing information. For example, you can use HTML to format a table, but you can’t use HTML to describe the data elements within the table. The reason for this is that you can’t really depict something as abstract as a distributor or a customer with HTML, which is where XML comes into the picture. XML can be, and is, used to define the structure of data rather than its format.

This Fast Start guide begins by showing you the basics of the XML language and then builds on that knowledge to show you how to create, style and transform documents.

1. XML Basics7

2. Using XML11

Extensions to XML12

XLink and XPointer12

XSL13

XML Namespaces14

XML Schema14

XPath14

Creating XML-Based Solutions15

Authoring Tools15

Application Development Environments15

Database and Data Integration Solutions16

XML Document Structure16

XML Naming Rules17

3. Working with Root, Parent, and Child Elements19

Understanding Root Elements19

Understanding Parent and Child Elements20

Nesting Parent and Child Elements20

Adding Root Elements to Documents21

4. Defining XML Elements and Tags23

Using Elements Tag Pairs23

Using Empty Elements25

5. Using XML Attributes29

Defining Attributes29

When To Use Attributes31

Adding Attributes to Elements32

6. Additional Structures in Elements35

Using Predefined Entity References35

Using Character Data Sections37

Using Comments38

Using Processing Instructions40

7. Specifying XML Declarations43

Using the Version Attribute43

Using the Encoding Attribute44

Using the Standalone Attribute45

8. Creating Well-Formed Documents47

9. Understanding DTDs49

Using Elements in DTDs52

Using Attributes in DTDs53

10. Introducing XSL57

11. Matching Structures to Template Rules63

Understanding the Element and Root Nodes Template65

Understanding the Modes Template66

Understanding the Text and Attribute Nodes Template67

Understanding Other Built-In Templates67

12. Structuring XSLT Stylesheets69

13. Defining the Output Format73

Setting Attributes for the output Element73

Formatting Output as XML or XML-Based Markup75

Formatting Output as HTML81

Formatting Output as Text or Program Source Code87

Setting the Output Format89

14. Defining Template Rules and Declarations92

Creating the Root Template92

Creating and Applying Template Rules93

Outputting the Contents of Nodes97

15. XPath Operators Expressions99

16. Understanding XPath Operators and Datatypes107

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