XML Fundamentals

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Class Summary

In this course you will learn fundamentals necessary to use XML on the Web or in data processing applications. Through lecture and hands-on lab exercises, you will learn the essentials of data interoperability using XML, write well-formed XML documents, enforce document validity, use XSLT and stylesheets to transform XML documents, and get an introduction to XML programming APIs in languages such as Java and Perl.

The class is presented as a series of lecture sessions, reinforced with workshops and group discussion exercises. Comprehensive Course materials are provided for each learner.

Who Should Attend

Anyone who needs an introduction to XML, including application developers, Web developers, XML document authors, and webmasters.

Prerequisites

Familiarity with Web and data processing concepts. HTML and programming experience is helpful.

An XML authoring product, XMLWriter, is recommended for installation on each participant PC. A 30 day evaluation version of this software should be downloaded and installed prior to the class.

Content

• Getting started with XML: Data and document structure, XML, Well-formed XML, Valid vs. well-formed XML, Enforcing valid documents with DTD's, Presentation style, XSL and XSLT, Using XML.
  
  
• XML Syntax: XML fundamentals, Tag attributes, Naming rules, Empty and non-empty elements, Nesting and hierarchy of tags, Processing instructions, XML declaration, Other XML constructs, Entity and character references.
  
  
• Writing DTDs: Doctype, Element conditions and quantifiers, Attributes, Attribute default, Parsed general entities, Parsed parameterised entities.
  
  
• Namespaces: Why namespaces?, Namespace prefix and declarations, Multiple namespace declarations, Declaring namespaces, Default namespaces, DTDs and namespaces.
  
  
• Basic XML Schemas: Schema overview, A minimal schema, Associating unqualified XML with a schema, Simple and built-in types, Complex types, Element declarations, Attribute declarations, Choices, Named types and anonymous types.
  
  
• Transforming XML with XSLT: Transformations, templates, XPath node selection, XPath tree navigation, Extracting element values, Choosing specific cases, Multiple element transformation, Sorting elements.
  
  
• XML in Applications: Reasons and places for using XML, DOM parsers, SAX parsers, Web services.
  
  
• Presenting XML on the Web: Stylesheet languages, Formatting with rules, Defining elements with blocks, Colours and fonts, Page layout with CSS, Lists.
  
  

Sample notes

XML Fundamentals - Lesson 2 [715k]

Suggested next class

XSLT