RE: Re[4]: [xsl] Transformation using Saxon.Net-1.0-RC1

[Pieter Reint Siegers Kort <pieter.siegers@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Arthur,

I'm working on an application in C# that uses XSLT (and Xquery) processors
in their native environment. Processors included will be Saxon, Xalan, MSXML
3/4/5/6, and XslTransform. I'll be setting up an Open Source project about
it real soon, so stay tuned (I'll announce it on this list, among other
places). 

In the case of Saxon, for example, it means you will get all the new
technology support (XSLT 1.0/2.0, XPath 1.0/2.0, Xquery 1.0 WD) quality and
speed of the original product and only need to set up the Java environment,
a simple thing to do. It's a win-win situation for everybody.

It will be possible to compare processor performance too, as far as this is
possible using different XML technology versions.

Cheers,
<prs/>

-----Original Message-----
From: Arthur Maloney [mailto:ArthurM@xxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Saturday, April 02, 2005 1:04 AM
To: Michael Kay
Subject: Re[4]: [xsl] Transformation using Saxon.Net-1.0-RC1

Hello Michael,

Thursday, March 31, 2005, 10:09:16 PM, you wrote:

MK> I know of a number of people who would be interested in a version of 
MK> Saxon that's integrated natively into the .NET platform. It's not 
MK> clear to me at the moment how deep the integration needs to be (for 
MK> example, is it necessary to support the System.Xml.Xsl APIs), or 
MK> whether it is technically possible to achieve the required level of 
MK> integration without forking the source (something that I regard as an
anathema).
...

Just bought Xpath2 & XSLT2 3rdEd, and hope MK is once again enjoying his
daffodils.

Before getting into serious digestive mode.
I thought a few comments on this developer's mileage, might be of interest.

Last October I decided to move from Visual Basic to C# on v1.1 of .Net
technology (I did consider Java  but, despite the excellent insights I
gained from "Beginning Java Objects" decided on C#).

In old mode I used VB & MSXML

With C# I no longer use MSXML

typically I use a sealed class I wrote.

/*
*       Name:   Sei.XmlHelper.cs        
*       Description:    Code library for xml and xsl.
*       History: Built by Arthur Maloney 2004-07-23 05:44
*/

using System;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Xsl;
using System.IO;

using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Collections;


namespace Sei.Xml
{
        public sealed class XmlHelper
                /*
                *       Name:   XmlHelper
                *       Description:    A Helper class intended for common
uses of XML and XSL.
                *       History:        Built by Arthur Maloney 2004-09-23
06:52
                */
        {               

                // private constructor to avoid new instances.
                private XmlHelper() {}
 ....
 ....
 


public static string applyXslWithParams(XmlDocument doc, string urlXslFile,
XsltArgumentList XslParams)
        /*
        *       Name:   applyXslWithParams
        *       Description:    Overload that transforms xml file with xsl
stylesheet optionally passing parameters.
        *       e.g.:
        *       Create the XsltArgumentList.
        *       XsltArgumentList XslParams = new XsltArgumentList();
        *       XslParams.AddParam("title", "", "Test Title");
        *       string xml = applyXslWithParams( XmlDocument, " URL to XSL
file", XslParams);
        *       History:        Built by Arthur Maloney 2004-10-16 18:18
        */              
{
        XslTransform objTransform=new XslTransform();
        StringWriter objStream=new StringWriter();

        objTransform.Load(urlXslFile);
        
        objTransform.Transform(doc, XslParams, objStream,null);
        return objStream.ToString();
}


If I had decided Java, I would along with the books have bought the
commercial version. It is affordable, and has a good quality reputation.

I'm not sure what Forks and Windows API's actually means.

If Microsoft Corporation  had a XslTransform or whatever, that was
Xslt2/Xpath2 standards/recommendations compliant and it didn't clunck to
much I would probably use it.

The reason I have bought the books is because I want to move on to the new
standards. If that means installing Java runtime, and dlls written by
Saxonica, or whoever/whatever so be it.

Note: I simply wish to write code in C#
Whether it calls Saxonica dlls which
call Java is of no significance to me.
Although I do recognize the cross-platform advantages

Very Important:
Say Saxonica free or bought gave me access to e.g. XslTransform so that I
write C# sharp and use it through Saxoncia.
I just simply wouldn't bother,I would do it direct.

The idea that I would use e.g. XslTransform (API or parser or whatever it
is) a less standards compliant thing through, third party software, is just
plain silly.


--
Best regards,
 Arthur                            mailto:ArthurM@xxxxxxxxxx