Web Publishing with XML in Six Easy Steps [Paperback]

Bryan Pfaffenberger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 18, 1998

Anyone creating content for the Web and looking for the easiest way to learn Extended Markup Language (XML) won't find a better source than this book. Readers get a solid grounding in XML in six easy steps. The first step discusses the shortcomings of HTML and introduces XML, with plenty of real-world example. In step two, Web authors learn how to determine which tags they need to add in order to capture the data they are representing. Step three covers how to add tag definitions without writing a Document Type Definition (DTD) and how to use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to format new tags. The fourth step introduces the concept of XML DTDs by showing readers how to take advantage of existing DTDs, including Microsoft's Channel Definition Format (CDF). Fifth is how to write a custom DTD; and finally, the sixth step teaches readers how to implement Java-based querying of data structures using LiveAgent Pro, a Java application that incorporates sophisticated XML querying capabilities without requiring users to learn any programming whatsoever.



* Discusses the shortcoming of HTML and introduces XML
* Explains how to add tag definitions without writing a Document Type Definition (DTD) and how to use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to format new tags
* Introduces the concept of XML's DTD by showing readers how to take advantage of existing DTDs, including Microsoft's Channel Definition Format (CDF)
* Shows readers how to interpret Java-based querying of their data structures using LiveAgent Pro

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

You've learned some HTML, and maybe you've created your own Web page -- and before you've time to celebrate your accomplishments, you hear about XML, short for eXtensible Markup Language. And you've got questions. What's XML all about? Do Web authors really need to learn XML? Is XML difficult? What the heck is XML for, anyway?

You've got questions -- and this book has the answers. Here's the short version: XML enables Web authors to create their own, novel tags, which can be used to capture the nuances of information in Web pages. And what's more, XML-capable browsers can detect the underlying logic of these tags, and display the tagged information beautifully using style sheet languages such as CSS or XSL. In short, XML explodes all the restrictions HTML imposes, and gives you, the Web author, almost unlimited freedom to express your data. That's why Internet experts agree that XML will play an increasingly important role in Web publishing -- and may soon displace HTML as the best possible medium for authoring Web pages.

You need to learn what XML is all about, and how you can use it. That's precisely why this book was written. This is the first XML book to introduce XML from a Web author's perspective. In six easy steps, you'll learn how to incorporate XML into your Web pages. And as you'll discover, XML is easy to understand, easy to use, and easy to apply -- especially with this friendly, readable book as your guide. Whether you've just learned a bit of XML or are an accomplished Webmaster, this is the book that shows you how to incorporate XML into a winning Web publishing strategy.

About the Author

Bryan Pfaffenberger is the best-selling author of more than 75 books on computers and the Internet including Publish It On The Web! and The Elements of Hypertext Style. Praised for his clear, accessible style, his books have been described as "required reading for any Internet user...", "information-rich but remarkably readable...", and "Fantastic, crisply written, sure-footed." An authority on technical communication and the Internet, Bryan is Associate Professor of Technology, Culture, and Communication at the University of Virginia, and is a nationally recognized expert on the Web, an accomplished Webmaster, and a late-night hyperlink addict.

Product Details

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann (December 18, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0125531664
• ISBN-13: 978-0125531665
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,681,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Only basic description of XML, August 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Web Publishing with XML in Six Easy Steps (Paperback)

The book is very weak in content and has absolutely no practical examples. I'm not an expert in XML, so I won't give a technical estimate, but with new technology like XML one should not only show his favorable opinion, but provide examples to prove it's value. Title is also very misleading - in fact you've got a combination of 'appreciating the need of xml' and XML short description.