Course 1913A:

Exchanging and Transforming Data Using XML and XSLT

Length:5 Days
Published:February 09, 2001
Language(s):English
Audience(s):Developers
Level:400
Technology:Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
Type:Course
Delivery Method:Instructor-led (classroom)
About this Course
The goal of this course is to teach developers techniques for exchanging and transforming data by using the Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT). The course describes best practices for XML and XSLT and gives compelling examples of the best ways to solve real-world problems.
Audience Profile
This course is intended for Web developers who have used XML to create simple Web applications, and need to know how to exploit the full potential of XML and XSLT.
The course is also intended for Microsoft Visual Basic developers who have some exposure to XML, and need more detailed information about XML in order to build and integrate systems by using XML and XSLT.
At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to define XML Path Language (XPath) expressions to locate and filter the content of an XML document; define XSLT style sheets to transform XML documents at the Web browser and Web server; create and change XML structure by using XSLT; use XSLT to merge different XML documents and generate cross-references between them; and create a Visual Basic application that uses the Simple API for XML (SAX) to access large XML documents.
Course OutlineModule 1: Overview of XML and XSLTLessons
  • Representing Data with XML
  • Transforming XML Documents with XSLT
  • Using XML and XSLT to Build Solutions
Module 2: Selecting and Navigating Nodes Using XPathLessons
  • Introducing XPath
  • Accessing Node Information
  • Navigating a Document Using Location Paths
  • Using Operators and Functions in Location Paths
Lab : Accessing Node InformationLab : Selecting and Navigating Nodes Using XPath
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Using XPath expressions within the Document Object Model (DOM) methods selectNodes() and selectSingleNode().
  • Writing XPath location paths to select specific nodes from an XML document.
  • Writing conditional expressions in XPath.
  • Using XPath operators and functions to write more sophisticated expressions.
Module 3: Introducing XSLTLessons
  • Introducing XSLT
  • Template Rules
  • Enhancing Template Rules
Lab : Defining and Using Template Rules
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Applying an XSLT style sheet to an XML document, both statically and dynamically.
  • Defining and instantiating template rules to make use of the transformation capabilities of XSLT.
Module 4: Refining and Combining Style SheetsLessons
  • Sorting Document Content
  • Controlling Document Output
  • Including and Importing Style Sheets
Lab : Refining and Combining XSLT Style Sheets
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Specifying a sort order for the result document, alphabetically or numerically, in ascending or descending order.
  • Specifing number formats for the result document.
  • Specifing whether white space in the result document is stripped or preserved.
  • Including one style sheet inside another.
  • Importing one style sheet into another.
  • Overriding imported template rules in the main style sheet.
Module 5: Programming with XSLTLessons
  • Named Templates
  • Variables and Parameters
  • Performing Repetition and Conditional Processing
  • Using XSLT Extension Elements and Functions
Lab : Programming with XSLT
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Defining and calling named templates.
  • Using named templates to organize a style sheet effectively.
  • Defining variables to represent complex expressions.
  • Defining parameters for a template rule or a style sheet.
  • Performing repetition and conditional logic within a template.
  • Using extension elements and extension functions.
Module 6: Defining XML Grammar and Data TypesLessons
  • Defining and Using XML Schemas
  • Defining Elements in an XML Schema
  • Defining Attributes in an XML Schema
  • Defining Data Types in an XML Schema
  • XML Schemas and ADO
Lab : Defining XML Grammar and Data Types
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Creating an XML Schema definition.
  • Applying an XML Schema to an XML document.
  • Using an XML Schema to define the grammar of an XML document.
  • Using an XML Schema to describe the content data types in an XML document.
Module 7: Creating and Changing XML Structure with XSLTLessons
  • Creating New Structure Using XSLT
Module 8: Cross-Referencing Documents Using XSLTLessons
  • Accessing Multiple XML Documents in a Style Sheet
  • Introducing Cross-References
  • Generating Cross-References in Result Documents
Lab : Cross-Referencing Documents Using XSLT
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Writing XSLT style sheets that access and transform multiple XML documents.
  • Defining keys to identify nodes in an XML document.
  • Using keys to access nodes in the same XML document or a different XML document.
  • Generating cross-references in the result document of an XSLT transformation.
Module 9: Manipulating XML Documents Using SAXLessons
  • Overview of SAX
  • Using SAX Interfaces
Lab : Manipulating XML Documents Using Sax
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Identifying situations where it is more useful to manipulate XML documents by using SAX than by using the DOM.
  • Choosing the correct SAX COM interface and methods to handle typical programming tasks associated with manipulating an XML document.
  • Creating an application with Visual Basic that uses SAX to manipulate an XML document.
Module 10: Putting It All TogetherLessons
  • Scope and Purpose of the Northwind Traders Web Site
Lab : Northwind Traders Web Site
After completing this module, students will be able to:
  • Making appropriate use of XSLT and XML technical features.
  • Creating XML documents from a database by using Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) in an ASP page.
  • Writing style sheets to transform XML into HTML or another XML grammar.
  • Applying a style sheet dynamically at the Web browser or the Web server.
  • Embedding XML documents and XSLT style sheets as data islands in HTML.
  • Using the DOM to modify an XSLT style sheet dynamically.
  • Using the DOM to create new XML content dynamically.
  • Integrating ASP pages and XSLT style sheets with COM.
  • Posting XML data from a Web browser to a Web server.
  • Designing and using XML Schemas to validate XML structure and content.
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