Sams Teach Yourself XSLT in 21 Days

The book covers XSLT and Xpath (as a part of XSLT), as these topics have everything to do with processing XML. It will also cover XML from an XSLT processing and design point of view. Other XML technologies will not be discussed as superset of XSLT, most notably XSL. XSL Formatting Objects alone is enough material for an entire book. Apart from that, XSLT and Xpath form the processing/programming section of the entire XSL specification. This book presents an overview of XSLT and guides readers through transforming their first XML data. In this book you will also learn:

• Selecting Data-Stylesheets and Xpath Basics;
• Inserting text and elements in output;
• Copying elements from the source and inserting text;
• Conditional processing basics and expressions;
• Modularizing stylesheets;
• Understanding, creating, and using templates;
• Controlling output, as well as creating more advanced output;
• Using multi-file stylesheets, variables, and parameters;
• Working with numbers, strings, multiple XML sources, and namespaces;
• Selecting data based upon keys;
• Recursion;
• Creating computational stylesheets;
• Working with parses;
• Designing XML and XSLT applications;
• Extending XSLT.

Table of Contents

Introduction.

WEEK 1 AT A GLANCE.

1. Getting Started with XSLT.
2. Transforming Your First XML.
3. Selecting Data.
4. Using Templates.
5. Inserting Text and Elements.
6. Conditional and Iterative Processing.
7. Controlling the Output.
Week 1 in Review: Bonus Project 1: Creating an Article Index and Output.

WEEK 2 AT A GLANCE.

8. Working with Variables.
9. Working with Parameters.
10. Working with Data Types.
11. Working with Strings.
12. Sorting and Numbering.
13. Creating Multifile Stylesheets.
14. Working with Multiple XML Sources.
Week 2 in Review: Bonus Project 2: Creating Multifile Stylesheets with Parameters.

WEEK 3 AT A GLANCE.

15. Working with Namespaces.
16. Advanced Data Selection.
17. Using Recursion.
18. Building Computational Stylesheets.
19. Working with XSLT Extensions.
20. Working with Different Processors.
21. Designing XML and XSLT Applications.
Week 3 in Review: Bonus Project 3: Creating a Shopping Service with XSLT Computation.

APPENDIXES.

Appendix A. Answers to Quiz Questions and Exercises.
Appendix B. XSLT Reference.
Appendix C. Command Line Reference for Selected Processors.
Appendix D. XML Resources on the Net.
Index.