Advanced XML: XSLT Course

This course was designed for the student who is familiar with the general concepts involved in XML. Students should have a solid grounding in HTML. Some knowledge of basic programming concepts and/or experience with Web scripting (VBScript or JavaScript) would be helpful. Prior to taking this course, students should have knowledge to the level of the following PTR courses:

HTML Web Authoring
Dynamic HTML
XML Introduction
Introduction to Programming

Topics covered on the 3 day Advanced XML: XSLT course

Introduction to XML Output

• What is a Stylesheet?
• Viewing XML Formatted with Various Stylesheets
• Exploring an XSLT Stylesheet
• Exploring the Differences in XSLT Versions

Basic XSLT Templates

• XSLT Basics
• Creating the Outline Foundation of an XSLT Stylesheet
• XPath Practice
• Outputting Element Content
• Outputting Attribute Values
• Using HTML with XSLT
• Formatting XSLT Output With HTML
• Using a Simplified Stylesheet
• Output Other Than HTML
• Transforming XML to XML

Basic XSLT Templates, Part 2

• The Nature of XSLT Templates
• Using <xsl:apply-templates> To Control Processing Flow
• Comparing <xsl:apply-templates> and <xsl:call-template>
• Sorting Elements in <xsl:for-each> and <xsl:apply-templates>Contexts
• Elements, Attributes, Comments, and Text
• Using <xsl:element> Elements
• Using <xsl:attribute> Elements
• Exploring the uses of XSLT Comments and Text

XSLT Conditional Elements

• If/Then Conditionals
• Using the <xsl:if> Element
• Testing Multiple Conditions
• Using <xsl:choose> Elements
• Using <xsl:for-each> as a Conditional
• Filtering and Order Control with <xsl:for-each>

Advanced XSLT Elements, Part 1

• The Structure of XSLT Stylesheets Reconsidered
• Importing and Including Stylesheets
• Variables and Parameters

Advanced XSLT Elements, Part 2

• Output Options
• Copying XML Directly to the Output Tree
• Using Other Advanced XSLT Elements

The Built-in XSLT Functions

• General Purpose Functions
• The document() Function

XPath Axes and Location Paths

• The Current Context Reconsidered
• XPath Axes and Unabbreviated XPath Syntax

Server-Side XSLT Programming with ASP, XML DOM, and ADO

• Using XSLT with ASP and the XML DOM
• Transforming XML Obtained from a Database

Data Islands and SVG Output

• Using XML Data Islands with XSLT
• Converting XML Documents into SVG Graphics

Appendix A: XSLT Syntax

• XSLT Elements
• XSLT Functions

Appendix B: XPath

• XPath Syntax
• XPath Axes
• XPath Functions

Appendix C: Setting up a System DSN

Appendix D: XML to WML