XML and XSL Training Course

Mastering XML and XSL is a five-day course that provides participants with comprehensive training in the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) technologies for use in management, development, and processing of diverse data and content.

Through its expanded hands-on approach, the course will cover relevant XML and XSL tools and technologies including XML Schema (XSD), DTD, SAX, DOM, XML Namespaces, XPath, XQuery, XSL-FO, XSLT, XLink, XPointer, XForms, and will explain and demonstrate how to apply these techniques to industrial problem scenario.

Through completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Critically evaluate SGML, HTML, XHTML, and XML
• Recognize specific benefits of using XML
• Create XML documents manually or through an XML editor
• Become skilled in usage of XML syntax
• Access elements of XML files manually or through an XML Viewer
• Query and access data stored in XML files through XQuery and XPath
• Validate structure and syntax of XML documents
• Create Document Type Definitions (DTD)
• Build and deploy XML Schema Definitions (XSD)
• Display XML in a browser using Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
• Format XML Documents using XSL Formatting Objects (XSL-FO)
• Transform XML documents using XSL Transformations (XSLT)
• Produce model-based forms using XML Forms (XForms)
• Store binary data in XML files
• Improve connectivity and navigation with XLink and XPointer
• Avoid possible naming conflicts using XML Namespaces
• Use DOM and SAX to programmatically parse XML documents

This course is intended for web developers, application programmers, technical writers, development managers, business managers, and others who wish to upgrade or complete their XML and XSL skills in the context of management, development, and use of diverse data and content.

Introduction and Overview

• Why XML?
• Extending and Adopting Markup Languages
• From SGML to XML and XHTML
• Benefits and Drawbacks of XML
• Introducing the eXtensible Markup Language (XML)
• Representing Mixed Data and Context with XML

XML Fundamentals

• Creating an XML Document
• Defining Structure
• Rules for Well-Formed and Valid XML
• Changing XML Documents

XML Syntax

• Tag Attributes and Naming Rules
• Empty and Non-Empty Elements
• Processing Instructions for XML
• Accessing Data from XML Elements

XML Namespaces

• Why XML Namespaces?
• Prefixes and Declarations
• Default and Multiple Namespaces

XML Document Type Definition (DTD)

• XML DTD as an XML Schema
• Creating a DTD
• Element Conditions and Quantifiers
• Referencing DTD Declarations
• Validating DTD Compliance

XML Schema Definition (XSD)

• Element and Attribute Declarations
• Simple, Complex, and Built-in Types
• Named and Anonymous Types
• Associating XML with a Schema
• Validating XSD Compliance

XQuery and XPath

• Why XQuery and XPath?
• XPath Nodes and Syntax
• Seven Node Types
• Node Paths and Predicates
• Node Axes and Functions
• XQuery Structure and Usage
• XPath and XSD in XQuery
• Terms and Syntax
• Selecting and Filtering Elements

Publishing XML

• Stylesheet Languages
• Using Style Sheets with XML
• Page Layout with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
• CSS Syntax and Classes
• Introduction to XSL

XML Formatting with XSL-FO

• What is XSL-FO?
• XSL-FO Structure and Areas
• Document Structure
• Pages and Regions
• Block, Line, and Inline Areas
• Lists and Tables
• Outputting Formatted Content
• Output and Flow

XML Transformation with XSLT

• What is XSLT?
• Basic XSLT Transformation
• Using XSLT Templates
• Details of XSLT Notation
• Extracting Element Values - <value-of>
• Choosing Specific Elements - <for-each>
• Condition Statements - <if> and <choose>
• Sorting Elements - <sort>
• Functions and Other Notation
• XQuery in XSLT
• XSL-FO vs. XSLT

XLink and XPointer

• Linking in XML
• XLink and XPointer Syntax

XForms

• Why XML Forms?
• XForms Structure and Syntax
• Selecting and Controlling XForms Input

Applying XML

• XML and Web Services
• HTML with XML
• XML and eCommerce
• XML Databases
• Storing Binary Data in XML

Parsing XML in Java*

• What is a parser?
• Using an XML parser
• Parsers and XML Generators
• Accessing the Document Object Model (DOM)
• Using Simple API for XML (SAX)
  * can be customized for other programming languages