516.  XSLT

Rev. 1.2

 

This course is now available directly from our partner, Capstone Courseware.

This comprehensive four-day course develops in-depth knowledge and skills in transforming XML documents using eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformations, or XSLT.  Students work through extensive hands-on exercises in transformations from XML to plain text, HTML, and XML, with good grounding in XPath along the way.  Intermediate and advanced techniques are also covered including variables and parameters, callable templates, sorting and grouping, tail recursion, working with multiple documents, and XSLT extensions.  The course teaches XPath and XSLT 1.0 but looks forward to the 2.0 releases of both specifications with pointers about what new features to expect.

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 

·         Write simple and complex queries into XML document content using XPath.

·         Harness the built-in template rules to process just the right source information, getting maximum leverage from the XSLT processor.

·         Control the exact production of text, HTML and XML elements, and whitespace.

·         Use mode and priority to control template matching.

·         Use looping and conditional processing to manage output production.

·         Declare, bind and reference XSLT variables and parameters.

·         Use callable templates to capture common transformations and styling.

·         Filter and sort XSLT output.

·         Use XSLT keys and other techniques to achieve grouping in transformation output and to derive aggregate information on groups.

·         Produce refined transformation output including auto-numbering, formatted numeric output, and aggregate values such as sums and counts.

·         Implement more complex processes using tail recursion in callable templates.

·         Use the XSLT document function to manage multiple source documents.

·         Import and include multiple transform definitions to foster reuse of transformation logic.

·         Use XSLT extensions to empower transforms with more sophisticated and reusable logic.

 

Course Duration:  4 days

 

Prerequisites – OI  Course 501 or similar:

·         Ability to read and to write well-formed XML.

·         Ability to read a DTD not strictly required, but preferred.

 

1.      Getting Started with XSLT

XSL and XSLT

Rule-Based Transformations

Templates

Producing Text, HTML, and XML

 

2.      XPath

Addressing XML Content

XPath in XSLT

Tree Structure

XPath Expressions

Type Model

Context

Axis, Node Test, and Predicate

Abbreviations

Proximity Position

XPath Functions

Comparisons Between Various Types

 

3.      Templates and Production

Template Matching

Built-In Template Rules

Recursion Through Templates

Template Context

Output Methods

Controlling Whitespace

Literal Replacement Elements

Formalizing Text, Elements and Attributes

Defining Target Vocabulary

Generating Processing Instructions

 

4.      Dynamic Content and Flow Control

Deriving Source Content

Getting Source Values

Attribute Value Templates

Copying Source Elements and Trees

Looping

Conditionals

 

5.      Variables and Template Management

Variables

Using Variables to Capture Context Information

Result Tree Fragments

Parameters

Calling Templates Explicitly

Global Variables and Stylesheet Parameters

Template Modes

 

6.      Sorting and Grouping

Sorting

Data Type for Sorting

Grouping

Uses for Grouping

Using the Preceding-Sibling Axis

Using XSLT Keys

Iterating Over Groups

Iterating Within a Group

 

7.      Advanced XSLT

Auto-Numbering

Number Formatting

XSLT Performance

Debugging and Diagnostics

Computing Aggregate Values

Tail Recursion

 

8.      Multiple Documents and Transforms

Merging Multiple Source Documents

The XSLT Document Function

Reusing Transformation Logic

Including Transforms

Importing Transforms

 

9.      Extensions

Extension Namespaces and Exclusions

Extension Elements

Extension Functions

EXSLT

Redirects

Node-Set Conversion

 

Learning Resources

 

System Requirements

 

Software for this course can be installed and run on Windows or Linux systems.  A few small packages of XML tools must be installed for parsing, transformation, and schema validation – these require a Java Runtime Environment, version 1.4.2.

 

Hardware requirements are not great;  a good minimal system for this course would have a Pentium 500MHz or equivalent CPU, 128meg of RAM and at least 50 megabytes of free disk space for tools installation.