Associating stylesheets with XML documents

page 21 If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.0 or higher, you can install the Microsofts XSLT processor so that opening an XML document in your browser will cause it to be transformed and rendered automatically. For more details on how to install and configure the XML tools to work with the brower, see http:www.microsoft.comxml . In the previous example, if we opened an XML document that began this way, the browser would transform the XML document according to the rules defined in docbookhtmldocbook.xsl and render the results as if it were any HTML page.

1.2.4.9 Scalable Vector Graphics SVG

The SVG specification defines an XML vocabulary for vector graphics. Described by some as PostScript with angle brackets, it allows you to define images that can be scaled to any size or resolution. See http:www.w3.orgTRSVG for details.

1.2.4.10 Canonical XML Version 1.0

Sometimes comparing two XML documents is necessary when digitally signing an XML document, for example. The Canonical XML specification defines a canonical form of XML that makes comparing two documents easy. See http:www.w3.orgTRxml-c14n for the complete specification.

1.2.4.11 XML digital signatures

A joint effort of the W3C and the Internet Engineering Task Force IETF, XML digital signatures provide a mechanism for storing digital signatures in an XML document. The XML document then provides an envelope used to store, send, and retrieve digital signatures for any kind of digital resource. The latest draft of the specification can be found at http:www.w3.orgTRxmldsig-core .

1.2.4.12 XML Pointer Language XPointer Version 1.0

XPointer provides a way to identify a fragment of a web resource. It uses XPath to identify fragments. For details, see http:www.w3.orgTRxptr .

1.2.4.13 XML Linking Language XLink Version 1.0

XLink defines an XML vocabulary for linking to other web resources within an XML document. It supports the unidirectional links were all familiar with in HTML, as well as more sophisticated links. See http:www.w3.orgTRxlink .

1.3 Installing Xalan

In this section, Ill show you how to install the Xalan XSLT processor. In the next chapter, well create our first stylesheet and use it to transform an XML document. The installation process is pretty simple, assuming you already have a Java Runtime Environment JRE installed on your machine. Although very little of the code we look at in this book uses Java, the Xalan XSLT processor itself is written in Java. Once youve installed the JRE, go to http:xml.apache.orgxalan-j and download the latest stable build of the code. If youre feeling brave, feel free to download last nights build instead. Once the Xalan .zip or .gzip file is downloaded, unpack it and add three files to your CLASSPATH . The three files include the .jar file for the Xerces parser, the .jar file for the Xalan stylesheet engine itself, and the .jar file for the Bean Scripting Framework. As of this writing, the .jar files are named xerces.jar, xalan.jar, and bsf.jar. page 22 To make sure Xalan is installed correctly, go to a command prompt and type the following command: java org.apache.xalan.xslt.Process This is a Java class, so everything is case sensitive. You should see an error message like this: java org.apache.xalan.xslt.Process =xslproc options: -IN inputXMLURL [-XSL XSLTransformationURL] [-OUT outputURL] [-LXCIN compiledStylesheetFileNameIn] [-LXCOUT compiledStylesheetFileNameOutOut] If you got this error message, youre all set Youre ready for the next chapter, in which well build our very first XSLT stylesheet.

1.4 Summary

In this chapter, weve gone over the basics of XML and talked about DOM and SAX, two standards that are commonly used by XSLT processors. We also talked about other technology standards and how to install the Xalan stylesheet processor. At this point, youve got everything you need to build and use your first stylesheets, something well do in the next chapter.