Subject: Re: [xsl] XSLT on the server side From: "M. David Peterson" <m.david.x2x2x@xxxxxxxxx> Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 23:54:15 -0600 |
Hi Antsnio, If I could quickly jump into this and give you some feedback from an "official" Saxon.NET project standpoint. - First and foremost, as you know, the advice Dr. Kay gives regarding XSLT processors of any sort, running on any platform is always going to be your best bet. - I really like the emphasis he has put on the idea that when it comes to your typical transformation needs that don't require extensive platform integration, using a web service style call to a Java servlet running on the same server (you might be surprised to learn how much value using a heterogenous .NET/Java environment using this method can bring when you couple Saxon with Cocoon, Tomcat, etc... I've seen some pretty slick stuff being created using this method and as such, when appropriate, it is most certainly going to be the correct route to choose. - So then when would using this method not be the right choice? Before I answer this, let me point out that the advice from Sylvain, Jay, and Dimitre is excellent, and theres nothing more in regards to the specific areas they focused on that I can add to this conversation. There are some general rules of thumb to consider when trying to choose whether or not to us a Saxon servlet styled solution or a Saxon.NET solution. So let me share these with you in hopes they might help further clarify things in this regard: - When you find yourself doing a lot of internal piping of XML fragments in various stages and formats throughout the .NET platform, requiring numerous transformations during the overall process. - making changes to the structure and/or general output of the transformed XML to then pass the result back to Saxon.NET via a .NET XML document type such as XMLDocument(), XMLReader(), or (and this is really where a lot of power is added to a Saxon.NET-based transformation) through one of the wonderful .NET XML data type additions the Microsoft XML MVP's have developed and made available via the MVP library etc... - Caching of XML documents and stylesheets and/or the common results of such transformations using .NET XML document data types for reuse by the Saxon.NET library to transform, and/or reprocess the same sets of documents over and over again, especially when the base of cached documents becomes large enough such that a need to build a caching management mechanism is necessary to properly manage what is what and when to use one or the other based on various criteria. Basically, just as Dr. Kay specified... if the desire is to pass an XML infoset via a file or string object to be transformed via a transformation file that hasnt been stored as a .NET specific XML document object of one type or another (making the process of returning it to its original state to then be recompiled by Saxon near impossible in many cases) then stick with Saxon proper and a java servlet approach. If your needs extend beyond this, a while back I wrote a quick ASP.NET-based tutorial and usage scenario in which utilizes the MVP XML core library to add more value and capability to the resulting XML document type. The demo takes the result of a transformation and processes it further, adding things such as the proper document mime-type information to the response stream, and adding some additional elements to the XML such that the client properly recognizes it as an XML file, looking first for stylesheet information to perform client-side transformations, or styling it with CSS before passing it to the browsers HTML rendering engine for display. This tutorial can be found at the following URL: > http://www.xsltblog.com/archives/2005/05/first_real_saxo.html Let me know if you have any further .NET specific questions of which I will be happy to assist you in any way I can. Of course as Saxon.NET is for all intents and purposes Saxon that has simply been recompiled into CIL instead of Byte-code, anything other than what specifically applies to the .NET platform and you already know who will be able to give you the best possible answer/solution ;) Hope this helps! Best regards, <M:D/> On 9/2/05, Antsnio Mota <amsmota@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Thanks a lot, that really put things in perspective giving me a base > to proceed. I've forward your answer to my bosses so we can decide > what to do. > > Thanks again for your excelent (as usual) response. > > On 9/2/05, Michael Kay <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > > > > > What are the benefits of server-side transforms? > > > > You have a lot more control over the environment in which they run. > > You can filter the data before sending it to the client - security benefits. > > You may be able to send less data down the wire. > > You have access to server-side resources such as databases. > > > > > How do i make then? > > > > Use any server-side scripting technology such as ASP, JSP, Java servlets, > > and implement the code to respond to an HTTP request by running a > > transformation and shipping the result. > > > > You could develop this starting from sample code such as the servlet code > > included in the Saxon distribution. > > > > Alternatively, use a package such as Cocoon that already does this and an > > awful lot more. > > > > > Can i call a xslt directly on the server by xmlhttprequest or do i > > > have to write some server-side component that wraps the xslt? (like a > > > servlet or asp) > > > > You either have to write some server-side code, or find some that someone > > else has already written. > > > > > > I want to keep the server-side processing the most platform-indpendent > > > as i can. However the company is using IIS and .Net, so how can i > > > achive this? > > > > You'll need to make some decisions, e.g. whether to use ASP or servlets. > > However, these aren't very constraining if the only thing you are doing is > > invoking a transformation. It's quite possible, for example, to run Java > > servlets under IIS. > > > > > > What processors can i use? Saxon .Net? > > > > You could, but I don't think I would for this scenario, because you're using > > a raft of technologies that you need to master. If you need an XSLT 2.0 > > processor I would run the standard Saxon 8.x release and invoke it via a > > Java servlet. Saxon.NET might be useful if you want to integrate it more > > deeply into an existing .NET application. If XSLT 1.0 is OK, use the .NET > > XSLT processor (System.Xml.Xsl), or use MSXML3/4. > > > > Whatever approach you choose, if you have any signicifant level of > > throughput, make sure that you cache compiled stylesheets in memory rather > > than recompiling them on each request. > > > > Michael Kay > > http://www.saxonica.com/ > > -- <M:D/> M. David Peterson http://www.xsltblog.com
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