Re: [xsl] [Very off-topic] Using Apache MultiViews option (was: How to throw transformation to browser)

[Antonio Fiol <fiol@xxxxxxxxxx>]

 (Sorry for the off-topic. But as it may be helpful to others, I'll 
keep this on the list)


Well... Let's go for your case...

This is information published by your web browser every time one 
requests a web page from www.ballsome.com:
Server: Apache/1.3.26 (Unix) FrontPage/5.0.0.0 mod_ssl/2.8.10 OpenSSL/0.9.6a

For the Apache server, I found the following HOWTO (from our company's 
docs):

1. Enable MultiViews on your apache configuration.
2. Add the MIME types for the extensions you need (xml and xsl, both 
text/xml IIRC)
3. For each file you need compressed, do:
cp file.xml file.xml.xml
gzip -9 file.xml
4. You'll end up with double files (file.xml.xml and file.xml.gz).
IMPORTANT: The original file, named "file.xml" should disappear from 
sight...
5. You're ready. Let's test it.
6. Launch a net sniffer, like ethereal, either on your client or your 
server.
5. Point your browser to the address of the former file.xml.
If everything is OK...
a) Your browser should show the page to you.
b) Your net sniffer should NOT show the XML in the HTTP response, but 
the compressed version.
If you look at the headers, there should be a "Accept-Encoding: gzip" 
header on the request packet.
And there should be a header on the response indicating that it is 
serving file.xml.gz instead.
If the "Accept-Encoding: gzip" header is not present on the request, 
that means that your browser does not support compressed content. 
However, the file.xml.xml should be served instead, so the content will 
still be viewed.

If file.xml still existed, no content negotiation would occur, and so 
the original uncompressed file would be served.

NO CHANGES ARE REQUIRED IN YOUR PAGES.



Thought 4: (Continues the saga)
If you have a relevant part of common templates, and you want to keep 
the impact on the user who comes for the first time low, while also 
avoiding impact on the user that wants to access the homepage, you may 
take the common part away, and use <xsl:import/> or <xsl:include/> to 
include it in your stylesheet.

That way, a user who comes in for the first time on an article should 
load: article.xml article.xsl common.xsl
A user who comes in for the first time on the homepage: home.xml 
home.xsl common.xsl
And a user who switches from article to home: home.xml home.xsl (not the 
common part)
And vice-versa: article.xml article.xsl (not the common part)

However, this may be counter-effective, as there is one more file to 
load the first time, and one more file to load when you switch.

Real measuring of times should be done to decide on onw or the other 
possibilities:

Rule of thumb:
If the common part is big enough, taking it apart would be good.
If the individual parts are small enough, integrating them (and the 
common part) in a single file would be better.

Now, the question "how big is big?" and "how small is small?" are 
impossible to answer without knowing:

- The "distance" between your server's location and your visitors location.
- Your visitors technology (56K, ISDN, xDSL, broader).
- Your server's bandwidth.

These factors, (and maybe also humidity ;-) will determine whether a 
file is big or not and whether a file is small or not.

Good luck!

Antonio Fiol Bonnín


Joel Konkle-Parker wrote:

> Yeah, those are two good points, but here's my thoughts on the subject. First,
> being a review site, alot of our users enter the site through the article pages.
> Now I know it's not asking much to download another few k worth of homepage
> stylesheet, but everything counts, right? Of course, compression could solve
> that problem... Unfortunately I don't know anything about it. A few tips please?
>
> -joel
>
> Quoting Antonio Fiol <fiol@xxxxxxxxxx>:
>
>  
>
> > Thought 1:
> >
> > Wouldn't the browser store the single stylesheet in its cache? I bet
> > so...
> >
> >
> > Thought 2:
> >
> > If it is big, compress it ;-)
> > Compression support in browsers is older than XML support, so that 
> > should be no problem.
> >
> >
> > Thought 1 + Thought 2 = Thought 3:
> >
> > This formula is usually true:
> > compressed_size(file1+file2) <
> > compressed_size(file1)+compressed_size(file2)
> >
> >
> >
> > In my company, we are experts at website optimizing. If you need 
> > detailed advice (read: consultancy service), our company will be glad to
> >
> > help you.
> >
> >
> > Antonio Fiol Bonnín
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Joel Konkle-Parker wrote:
> >
> >    
> >
> > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> > > Hash: SHA1
> > >
> > > Haha, yes, that's true. That's only for the front page, though, where
> > > the only thing we need is the attribute page="home" to tell what page
> > > it is. The real beauty of our system is with the articles
> > > (http://www.ballsome.com/test/games/hardware/articles/20011107-1.xml).
> > > We decided it would be better to split it up into two stylesheets,
> > > one for the main pages, one for the article pages, so users don't
> > > have to download a huge stylesheet for each page.
> > >
> > > Any thoughts would be welcome, however.
> > >
> > > - -joeljkp
> > >
> > > - ---------------------------------------
> > > http://www.ballsome.com
> > >
> > > - -----Original Message-----
> > > From: owner-xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > [mailto:owner-xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
> > > Braumüller,
> > > Hans
> > > Sent: Friday, June 28, 2002 4:45 AM
> > > To: 'xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'
> > > Subject: RE: [xsl] How to throw transformation to browser
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi Joel,
> > >
> > > it makes no sense to use xml if you have all your content in your
> > > xsl-stylesheet!
> > >
> > > You have wrapped your entire html page in a template!
> > >
> > > Greetings,
> > >
> > > Hans Braumüller
> > > - -- + --
> > > Networking Artist
> > > http://crosses.net
> > > http://kunstserie.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >      
> > >
> > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> > > > Von: owner-xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > [mailto:owner-xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]Im Auftrag von Joel
> > > > Konkle-Parker
> > > > Gesendet: Mittwoch, 26. Juni 2002 16:42
> > > > An: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > Betreff: Re: [xsl] How to throw transformation to browser
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Actually, part of your statement isn't true. My site
> > > > (http://www.ballsome.com/test/) combines XML and XSLT
> > > > client-side, and works
> > > > with both IE 6+ and Netscape 6+. Perhaps it's something
> > > > specific to your code?
> > > >
> > > > -joeljkp
> > > >
> > > > Quoting Scott Purcell <spurcell@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
> > > >
> > > >   
> > > >
> > > >        
> > > >
> > > > > Hello,
> > > > > I have a good xml file and a good xslt file. Up until today, we
> > > > > have included a stylesheet reference in the xml to the xsl file
> > > > >     
> > > > >
> > > > >          
> > > > and let the
> > > >   
> > > >
> > > >        
> > > >
> > > > > browser combine them for display. (Works only in IE).
> > > > >
> > > > > I have been told to investigate combinining the two files
> > > > >     
> > > > >
> > > > >          
> > > > (xml and xsl)
> > > >   
> > > >
> > > >        
> > > >
> > > > > server side. I investigated some avenues and came up with
> > > > >     
> > > > >
> > > > >          
> > > > Cocoon, and
> > > >   
> > > >
> > > >        
> > > >
> > > > > Xalan. Are these the best ways to do this? Which is easiest to
> > > > > implement.
> > > > >
> > > > > Also a coworker mentioned that we may possibly do a dom
> > > > >     
> > > > >
> > > > >          
> > > > thing and build
> > > >   
> > > >
> > > >        
> > > >
> > > > > the html dynamically? Does this make sense?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks
> > > > >
> > > > > XSL-List info and archive:
> > > > >     
> > > > >
> > > > >          
> > > http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list
> > >
> > >
> > >      
> > >
> > > >   
> > > >
> > > >        
> > >
> > > - -------------------------------------------------------
> > > http://www.ballsome.com
> > >
> > > XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list
> > >
> > > XSL-List info and archive:  http://www.mulberrytech.com/xsl/xsl-list
> > >
> > >
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> > >      
> > <http://www.pgp.com>
> >    
> >
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> > >      




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