Learning XML

The arrival of support for XML--the Extensible Markup Language--in browsers and authoring tools has followed a long period of intense hype. Major databases, authoring tools (including Microsoft's Office 2000), and browsers are committed to XML support. Many content creators and programmers for the Web and other media are left wondering, "What can XML and its associated standards really do for me?" Getting the most from XML requires being able to tag and transform XML documents so they can be processed by web browsers, databases, mobile phones, printers, XML processors, voice response systems, and LDAP directories, just to name a few targets.

In Learning XML, the author explains XML and its capabilities succinctly and professionally, with references to real-life projects and other cogent examples. Learning XML shows the purpose of XML markup itself, the CSS and XSL styling languages, and the XLink and XPointer specifications for creating rich link structures.

The basic advantages of XML over HTML are that XML lets a web designer define tags that are meaningful for the particular documents or database output to be used, and that it enforces an unambiguous structure that supports error-checking. XML supports enhanced styling and linking standards (allowing, for instance, simultaneous linking to the same document in multiple languages) and a range of new applications.

For writers producing XML documents, this book demystifies files and the process of creating them with the appropriate structure and format. Designers will learn what parts of XML are most helpful to their team and will get started on creating Document Type Descriptions. For programmers, the book makes syntax and structures clear. It also discusses the stylesheets needed for viewing documents in the next generation of browsers, databases, and other devices.

Table of Contents

Preface

Chapter 1. Introduction
   What Is XML?
   Origins of XML
   Goals of XML
   XML Today
   Creating Documents
   Viewing XML
   Testing XML
   Transformation

Chapter 2. Markup and Core Concepts
   The Anatomy of a Document
   Elements: The Building Blocks of XML
   Attributes: More Muscle for Elements
   Namespaces: Expanding Your Vocabulary
   Entities: Placeholders for Content
   Miscellaneous Markup
   Well-Formed Documents
   Getting the Most out of Markup
   XML Application: DocBook

Chapter 3. Connecting Resources with Links
   Introduction
   Specifying Resources
   XPointer: An XML Tree Climber
   An Introduction to XLinks
   XML Application: XHTML

Chapter 4. Presentation: Creating the End Product
   Why Stylesheets?
   An Overview of CSS
   Rules
   Properties
   A Practical Example

Chapter 5. Document Models: A Higher Level of Control
   Modeling Documents
   DTD Syntax
   Example: A Checkbook
   Tips for Designing and Customizing DTDs
   Example: Barebones DocBook
   XML Schema: An Alternative to DTDs

Chapter 6. Transformation: Repurposing Documents
   Transformation Basics
   Selecting Nodes
   Fine-Tuning Templates
   Sorting
   Example: Checkbook
   Advanced Techniques
   Example: Barebones DocBook

Chapter 7. Internationalization
   Character Sets and Encodings
   Taking Language into Account

Chapter 8. Programming for XML
   XML Programming Overview
   SAX: An Event-Based API
   Tree-Based Processing
   Conclusion

Appendix A. Resources

Appendix B. A Taxonomy of Standards

Glossary

Index