XML Training: Introductions to the Standards

Introduction to XSLT and XPath

(3-day hands-on introduction to XSLT/XPath)

XSLT, the non-procedural language for transforming XML into other data formats, and XPath, its companion specification for identifying parts of XML documents, are widely used to convert XML data into other data formats, including: display forms such as HTML, database load formats, and XML according to other DTDs. Designed for people with technical/programming background and who understand XML, this class teaches the principles and practice of XSLT/XPath. Centered around the abstract data model of XML, students learn to interpret an XML document as a logical tree rather than as sequential text and to use that tree in specifying transformations. Students learn to navigate the axes of the tree; create and prioritize templates; use expressions, patterns, and functions to select nodes and create output; and create elements, attributes, processing instructions, and comments in their output. Upon completion of the course, participants are able to:

• Use XSLT engines to transform XML to other data formats, including HTML, other user-designed XML, and other tagged or labeled data formats
• Draw the logical tree represented by sequential XML data and understand how to navigate that tree using XPath
• Use expressions, location paths, and patterns to select parts of XML documents and control their transformation
• Use XSLT (the transform language) to create complex Web pages
• Create multi-file XSLT stylesheets
• Do basic calculations in XSLT for selection of content to output and to create output data

This hands-on class can be taught on PC or Macintosh. Many students take the one-day Introduction to XSL-FO class after this course.

Prerequisites: Participants need to have a working knowledge of XML document syntax (elements, attributes, special characters), the difference between well-formed and valid XML documents, and XML basic concepts (default attribute values, ID/IDREF, attribute-value normalization).

Related Classes: Participants may also be interested in Advanced Document Processing with XSLT 2.0

Price: $1,500/student.