[xsl] [ANN] MarrowSoft Xselerator 2.5 Release

Subject: [xsl] [ANN] MarrowSoft Xselerator 2.5 Release
From: "Trace Wilson" <trace_wilson@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 06:59:20 +1000
MarrowSoft Xselerator 2.5 Release
=================================

  - The professional programmers XSL IDE and Debugger

Yes, the new and improved Xselerator 2.5 has arrived, with XSL-FO & SVG
support and an even more powerful debugger, which includes stepping
backwards!

This release is available to everyone, even if you've downloaded Xselerator
before - give it another go!  Maybe we've given you just what you want.

It is also a free upgrade to everyone who has purchased Xselerator.

  - more info: http://www.topxml.com/xselerator

 So what's new in 2.5?
 =====================

In brief:
---------
 - XSL-FO and SVG plug-in support;
 - Greater improvement in the debugger, intellisense, query analyzer
 - Support for your own defined namespaces (the intellisense integrates with
it);
 - A template navigator window;
 - Stepping into imported/included stylesheets;
 - Integration with TopStyle, and more .... read on

Now that you have been tempted, here are the new features in detail, but
first everyone ... :
 Download the latest trial
(http://downloads.topxml.com/xselerator/setup.zip)

Output viewing
--------------
** Yes, Xselerator now supports SVG and XSL-FO!

 - Support for SVG and XSL-FO rendered output viewing (SVG requires Adobe
SVG viewer plugin, XSL-FO requires external FOP engine);
 - Optionally set output browse, HTML, SVG and XSL-FO view modes to call
default external display application.

Attribute Value Intuitive (Intellisense)
------------------------------------
** Improved intuitive - it even picks up the options for templates from your
included/imported stylesheets.  Have a look at the User defined prefixes for
creating your own schema intellisense.

 - Attribute value intuitive for XSL/XSLT and HTML attributes;
 - Powerful XSLT attribute value intuitive gives, for example, suggestions
for <xsl:call-template> @name attribute and <xsl:with-param> @name
attribute, even for your included/imported stylesheets;
 - HTML style attribute values can use BradSoft TopStyle (v2.5) to create
CSS style values;

Debugger
---------
** Now quicker, faster and loads of new features, such as stepping backwards
and stepping into imported stylesheets.

 - Stepping into included/imported stylesheets;
 - Infinite recursion detection and maximum limit recursion checking (and
debugging up to recursion point);
 - New Step-over, Step out of, Step backward, Run to end and Restart
capabilities;
 - Debug to error position - allows debugging to continue even when some
critical errors are encountered;
 - Improved breakpoint features:-
   - Breakpoints now independent of bookmarks;
   - Unlimited numbers of breakpoints on input XML and XSL
   - Unlimited number of breakpoints on each line;
   - XML breakpoints now settable on all node types;
   - New short-cut keys for breakpoint activity;
   - Set breakpoints on line by clicking editor gutter - appropriate element
on line is automatically selected;
   - Improved breakpoint condition processing performance;
   - New breakpoint disabling/enabling feature;
   - Save and restore of set breakpoints on stylesheets between Xselerator
sessions;
   - Visual indication of when breakpoint has been set on a position that
may not be stopped on
 - Enhanced Built-in Rule template displays and processing;
 - New look debugger toolbar buttons;
 - Save and restore of set watches between Xselerator sessions;
 - Improved incremental output analysis - right-click on output to find the
XSL (and context XML node) that generated the output
 - Performance enhancements;

Enhanced stylesheet navigation
------------------------------
** Here are loads of time-savers.  Ever get tired of looking for a template
in your code?  You're at a <xsl:call-template> or <xsl:apply-template> call
and you quickly want to go to it?  What about imported/included stylesheets?

 - Open included/imported stylesheet at cursor;
 - Right-click and select Goto template at cursor;
 - Template Navigator - shows all templates within the current (and
imported/included) stylesheets - allows you to sort the view by alpha or
order.   - Single-click and you go to the template in the editor,
double-click and you go to the template in the editor and the window closes.

User Defined Prefixes
--------------------
** Speed up your XSLT development by not getting trapped with typo's, create
your own namespace prefixes, so that you have your own configured
intellisense.  See the configured XSL-FO and SVG files for examples on how
easy this is to set up.

 - New UDP (User Defined Prefixes) feature allows the configuration of
namespace prefixes to work with your specific schema's - offering
element/attribute/attribute value intuitive (intellisense). Each defined UDP
can be configured with its own highlighting colours;
 - Supplied with UDP configuration files for XSL-FO and SVG

Enhanced encoding support
--------------------------
** Displays Unicode characters (according to font availability)

 - Direct support for over 50 encodings (including UTF-7, full ISO-8859-x,
Big5, Shift-JIS etc. - dependant on Windows version and capabilities);
 - Enhanced encoding detection and conversion;
 - Transformation output encoding detection

XPath Query Analyser
---------------------
** Many new features, such as specifying keys and variables.

 - Complex query execution - offering the ability to execute XPath queries
that return non node-set results;
 - Query Environments - allows keys and variables to be defined and used in
XPath queries;
 - Query against debugger environment - allows current debug session defined
variables, params and keys to be used within XPath expression

Editing
-------
** Something all us Microsofties griped about - where is the Tab and
Shift-Tab support??  It has arrived.  If you like large files - you'll
immediately notice the editor performance.

 - Tab and Shift-Tab now perform block indent and unindent (when lines
selected);
 - XML tidier - prettifies your XML/XSLT by inserting indentation (W3C HTML
Tidy can still be used);
 - Check well-formedness and validation (against DTD/Schema) buttons;
 - Interaction between Auto and Extended Auto tag completion options
(turning off Auto tag completion but having Extended Auto tag completion on
means that all close tags are added to the unclosed tag list automatically)
 - Improved editor performance;

Snippet Library
--------------
** Some more time-savers.  If you haven't tried out the Snippet Library and
create you own quick snippets, like your <xsl:choose> syntax - then give it
a try.  But now you can set hotkeys and where you want the cursor to land
when you've inserted your snippet.

 - Hotkeys for favorites - add you own Hotkeys;
 - Cursor positioning within a snippet when inserted.

Transformation Engine configuration
----------------------------------
 - Up to 16 transformation engines may now be configured (with example
configurations for popular transformation engines);
 - MSXML4 internal transformation support added

** Note:  For some of these new above features, please check the
Options|'Environment Options' tab to switch on the new features.

 Take 2.5 for a free test drive!
 ======================

This download is available to everyone.  So if you have tried out Xselerator
before - give it another go!
 Download Xselerator 2.5 trial
(http://downloads.topxml.com/xselerator/setup.zip)

Xselerator sells for $125.  For multiple license discounts, please check our
great pricing at http://www.topxml.com/purchase/xseleator.asp

Xselerator has become a market leader in XSLT developement.  To mention only
a few customers are Microsoft, Avanade, ICL MC, Boeing, Intel, Toyota,
Fujitsu-Siemens, IBM, Bridgestone/Firestone, Zurich Insurance Company, Bank
of America, GlaxoSmithKline, AT&T, Hewlett Packard, CSC, Intel, Adobe
Sysems, Siemens, Pfizer, Merrill Lynch, XEROX, etc.


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