XML HACKS 100 Cutting-Edge Techniques and Tools

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald (USA), translated by Jin Jing, Xu Yali
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-02-01
Features: This book is suitable for those who enjoy collecting various free or low-cost tools and technologies, using XML as a standard to solve practical problems. It aims to meet the needs of a wide range of readers: whether you're just starting to learn XML or are already very familiar with it. Even experts can discover new methods to address their specific challenges in the hacks, such as Rick Jelliffe's hack on converting Wiki to XML using SGML [Hack #94]. Since the book covers many areas, it caters to users of all XML proficiency levels. Its goal is to provide a solid foundation for readers to begin their XML-driven development, whether for common or uncommon tasks. Although the book offers hacks for beginners, intermediate, and advanced users, it doesn't encompass everything XML can do but focuses on mainstream tasks—core tasks within the XML domain. These tasks can be completed quickly and typically involve downloadable, open-source software or free trial versions. The book is divided into seven chapters, with a brief description of each chapter's content below:
Chapter 1: Viewing XML Documents
This chapter includes introductory hacks, covering what XML documents look like, how to display XML documents in browsers, how to style XML documents with CSS, and an overview of processing XML with command-line Java applications.
Chapter 2: Creating XML Documents
It teaches readers how to edit XML using various editors, including Vim, Emacs, and Microsoft Office 2003 applications. It also covers how to convert a plain text file to XML using xmlspy, how to translate CSV to XML, and how to convert HTML to XHTML using HTMLTidy.
Chapter 3: Transforming XML Documents
This chapter explores using XSLT and other tools to transform XML into CSV, convert iTunes library (plist) files to HTML, use grep and sed to manipulate XML documents, and various methods for generating SVG using XSLT.
Chapter 4: XML Vocabulary
It helps readers understand namespaces and RDDL, describing how to use standard XML vocabularies and schemas like XHTML, DocBook, RDDL, and RDF in the form of FOAF.
Chapter 5: Using Schema Languages to Define XML Vocabulary
This chapter introduces using DTD, XML Schema, RELAX NG, and Schematron to generate valid XML. It also clarifies how to generate schemas from examples, how to generate examples from schemas, and how to convert one schema language to another.
Chapter 6: RSS and Atom
It teaches readers how to subscribe to RSS feeds using news readers, how to create RSS 0.91, RSS 1.0, RSS 2.0, and Atom documents, and how to generate RSS from Google queries using MovableType templates.
Chapter 7: Advanced XML Hacks
It guides readers on executing XML tasks within an Ant pipeline, using Cocoon, and processing XML documents with tools from the System.Xml namespace in C#, DOM, SAX, and Genx.