Updates for XML: Extensible Markup Language (was Re: Using IE5/B2 XSL from Command Line)

[Elliotte Rusty Harold <elharo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>In my experimentation with IE5 Beta2, I've found it useful to be
>able to use the XSL transformation features from the command line
>to "try things out" without writing code to do the transformation.
>
>If you install the "Windows Scripting Host" (a little engine that
>lets you run JS or VB scripts as if they were .BAT/.CMD files)
>you can very easily build yourself a little utility to make this easy.
>
>In case this might be useful to you, here's what I did:
>
>(1) Downloaded and installed Windows Scripting Host
>    http://msdn.microsoft.com/scripting/windowshost/default.htm
>
>(2) Wrote the following little script in JavaScript:
>
>    // This file is:  xslproc.js
>    var data = WScript.CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
>    var style = WScript.CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
>    data.load(WScript.Arguments(0));
>    style.load(WScript.Arguments(1));
>    WScript.Echo( data.transformNode( style.documentElement ));
>
>(3) Wrote the following little BAT file to make running the above script
>    easier:
>
>    @REM This file is:  xsl.bat
>    @echo off
>    @cscript //nologo xslproc.js %1 %2    REM xsl.bat
>
>Then I can "try out" combining an XML document and a stylesheet at
>the command line with:
>
>   C:\>  xsl mydoc.xml mystyle.xsl
>
>This dumps the transformed output to standard out so you could redirect it
>like:
>
>   C:\>  xsl mydoc.xml mystyle.xsl > mynewtree.xml
>
>
>Quick and dirty, but works well for me.
>
>Have fun...
>
>____________________________________________________________________________
> Steve  | Consulting PM & XML Technology Evangelist | smuench@xxxxxxxxxx
> Muench |      Java Business Objects Dev Team       | geocities.com/~smuench
>
>         Get to know JBO at http://javatools/jbo/owa/walkthrough
>                Do you XML? http://xml.us.oracle.com
>
>
> XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list

I've finally gotten permission from IDG to post updated chapters from The
XML Bible online. This should help those of you who have communicated with
me about the state of XSL in my previous book XML: Extensible Markup
Language.  You can now read three complete chapters from the XML Bible on
Cafe con Leche:

Chapter 14: XSL Transformations:
   http://metalab.unc.edu/xml/books/bible/updates/14.html
Chapter 16: XLinks:
   http://metalab.unc.edu/xml/books/bible/updates/16.html
Chapter 17: XPointers
  http://metalab.unc.edu/xml/books/bible/updates/17.html

All three are completely up-to-date with the latest working drafts
of their respective specifications.

I wish I could say the same about the printed book, but unfortunately the
lead time inherent in dead tree publishing means that there's about a
two-month lag between the last opportunity to make changes and the time the
book hits store shelves; and that's more than enough time for a lot to
change in the fast moving world of XML. Still out of 23 chapters and
several appendixes, all but 3 are still current; and that's better than
average in this market.

In many ways The XML Bible is the second edition of XML: Extensible Markup
Language, though at over 1000 pages for the Bible vs. 400 for XML:
Extensible Markup Language, there's more new material here than old. And
almost all the old material has been completely rewritten for this book.
Still, the focus of this book is very much the same: using XML to develop
Web sites that are difficult to impossible to create with HTML.

The printed version of the XML Bible will be available on
August 10, though some bookstores may take a little longer than others
to get it in stock. Amazon pretty reliably sells out of my books within
a day or two of getting their first copies in stock, so
you may wish to pre-order a copy if you buy your computer books from them.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764532367/cafeaulaitA


+-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+
| Elliotte Rusty Harold | elharo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | Writer/Programmer |
+-----------------------+------------------------+-------------------+
|               Java I/O (O'Reilly & Associates, 1999)               |
|            http://metalab.unc.edu/javafaq/books/javaio/            |
|   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1565924851/cafeaulaitA/   |
+----------------------------------+---------------------------------+
|  Read Cafe au Lait for Java News:  http://metalab.unc.edu/javafaq/ |
|  Read Cafe con Leche for XML News: http://metalab.unc.edu/xml/     |
+----------------------------------+---------------------------------+



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