1913 - Exchanging and Transforming Data Using XML and XSLT

This five day instructor-led (Level 400) course will teach developers techniques for exchanging and transforming data by using the Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations (XSLT). This course also describes best practices for XML and XSLT and gives compelling examples of the best ways to solve real-world problems.

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.

Module 1: Overview of XML and XSLT
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Representing Data with XML
• Transforming XML Documents with XSLT
• Using XML and XSLT to Build Solutions

After completing this module, students wll be able to:

• Describe the syntax of XML documents.
• Describe the purpose of XSLT style sheets
• Describe typical problems that XSLT style sheets are used to solve
 
Module 2: Selecting and Navigating Nodes Using XPath
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Introducing XPath
• Accessing Node Information
• Navigating a Document Using Location Paths
• Using Operators and Functions in Location Paths
 
• Lab 2.1: Accessing Node Information
 
• Lab 2.2: Selecting and Navigating Nodes Using XPath

After completing this module, you will be able to use Xpath to traverse nodes in a tree. This includes:

• 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 XSLT
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Introducing XSLT
• Template Rules
• Enhancing Template Rules
 
• Lab: Defining and Using Template Rules

After completing this module, you will be able to explain and implement the rules for using templates in XSLT. This includes:

• 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 Sheets
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Sorting Document Content
• Controlling Document Output
• Including and Importing Style Sheets
 
• Lab: Refining and Combining XSLT Style Sheets
 
After completing this module, you will be able to sort the contents of an XML document and use style sheets. This includes:

• 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 XSLT
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Named Templates
• Variables and Parameters
• Performing Repetition and Conditional Processing
• Using XSLT Extension Elements and Functions
 
• Lab: Programming with XSLT

After completing this module, you will be able to write code to perform tasks in XSLT. This includes:

• 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 Types
The following topics are covered in this module:

• 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, you will be able to create and use an XML Schema. This includes:

• 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 XSLT
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Creating New Structure Using XSLT
 
After completing this module, you will be able to create a new XML structure by using XSLT. This includes:

• Creating new elements in a result document.
• Defining attributes and namespaces for new elements.
• Inserting numbered text into a result document.
• Adding processing instructions and comments to a result document as necessary
 
Module 8: Cross-Referencing Documents Using XSLT
The following topics are covered in this module:

• 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, you will be able to cross-reference documents by using XSLT. This includes:

• 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 SAX
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Overview of SAX
• Using SAX Interfaces

• Lab: Manipulating XML Documents Using Sax

After completing this module, you will be able to use the SAX interfaces to manipulate XML documents. This includes:

• 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 Together
The following topics are covered in this module:

• Scope and Purpose of the Northwind Traders Web Site
• Lab: Northwind Traders Web Site

After completing this module, you will be able to use all of the skills you learned in this course to transform and manage data by using XSLT. This includes:

• 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

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.

Before attending this course, students must have:

• A moderate degree of Web development experience using HTML and XML
• A moderate degree of experience scripting with Visual Basic for Applications, VBScript, or JavaScript
• Some prior experience using COM objects, Active Server Pages (ASP pages), and either Visual Basic or Microsoft Visual C++
• Taking one or more of the following courses will help the students meet the prerequisites and get more out of the course:
• Completed course 1905: Building XML-Based Web Applications
• Completed course 1303: Mastering Microsoft Visual Basic 6 Fundamentals