XSLT and XPATH: A Guide to XML Transformations (Paperback)

~ (Author), Zarella L. Rendon (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Using XSLT and XPath, developers can take full advantage of virtually any XML data in both Web applications and printed documents. Guide to XML Transformations: XSLT & XPath delivers a thorough understanding of the concepts and inner workings of Xpath and the XSLT processing model. Leading XSL experts Zarella Rendon and John Robert Gardner teach XSLT and XPath through extensive example code, explained line by line. Guide to XML Transformations assumes basic HTML and/or skills, but no familiarity with programming concepts. Readers can utilize its hands-on exercises to quickly begin performing substantive transformations of XML to HTML and, soon after, to virtually any other format.

From the Back Cover

Gain total control over your information with XSLT and XPath!

• Master XSLT and XPath—the "keys to the XML kingdom"
• Build custom XML output solutions that won't become obsolete
• Learn everything from basic XML-to-HTML conversions to leading edge techniques
• CD-ROM includes all examples from the book

Mastering XSLT and XPath gives you unprecedented control over your information—and helps you leverage virtually every new XML technology, from XLink to schemas. Discover XSLT's powerful vocabulary of easy, programming-like features, and learn how to build custom solutions that resist obsolescence. By the end of the first chapter, you'll be performing XML-to-HTML conversions for display in any Web browser. Then build on your knowledge through a series of hands-on examples that transform you into an XSLT/XPath expert!

• XSLT as an XML document instance: leveraging your existing XML skills
• XSLT stylesheet concepts and constructs: fundamental through advanced level
• XPath patterns and functions
• XSLT subroutine functions and variables
• XSLT processing of multiple nodes: iterative and conditional XSLT elements
• Controlling output options
• XSLT extensions, and more

Whether you're an experienced programmer or a novice markup specialist, here's your chance to master XML's most potent tools for organizing, updating, and delivering digital information—any data, anywhere, any time!

CD-ROM INCLUDED

Contains leading XSLT processor software plus all XSLT/XPath examples from the book.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall PTR (August 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130404462
• ISBN-13: 978-0130404466
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #986,635 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Examples are laden with errors, August 10, 2003

By	Joe (New Have, OH United States) - See all my reviews

I suppose this book might be helpful as a reference, but to someone who is actually trying to figure out what to do with xslt and xpath, this book is a very poor primer. I found that, in addition to offering little explanation as to how xpath and xslt are needed in a larger context (is this supposed to supplant sql??, for example), the examples are so error-prone that I learned more by correcting the errors than I did reading the book. Here is a list of errors you will encounter (from the CD) for the first 3 chapters:

1.1 (string not quoted)
1.2 (only 1 top-level element allowed).
2.1 (invalid character)
2.4 (cannot locate resource)
2.5 (template.xml undeclared namespace)
2.7 (cannot locate resource)
3.2 (output.xml invalid at the top level)
3.3 ditto
3.4 worked -- hey, a working example!
3.5 (output.xml invalid at the top level)
3.6 misplaced period
3.7 invalid at top level
3.8 only 1 top level element allowed
3.9 invalid at the top level...

The rest of the chapter examples are similar to this one.
Without good examples, a programming book is almost worthless.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poor Editing, Poor Examples, November 15, 2003

By	Nick Van Weerdenburg (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This feels like a book that had it's table of contents laid out, and then the content filled in as quickly as possible. Editing must have lasted about 3 days. With a more thorough editing process, and a bit more thought to the examples (the boulevard examples taumatized me so much, I nearly stopped driving), it may have been a very good book.

In some sections, the same paragraph is repeated verbatim 2 or even 3 times. Often in the chapter overview, and then on the next page in the first chapter section.

Possibly the book appeals to other learning styles better, but I've found it a tough slog. In fairness though, XSLT is a strange and difficult beast- I may be transferring some of my frustration on to the messenger!

However, in general, I find the examples are too repetive, causing them to blur together. And you find myself flipping back as many as 6 pages at times to find the xml code the description is talking about.

And there is a lack of technical illustrations to help with more difficult topics.

I would have appreciate larger examples from different domains to specific goals. The problem with a lot of the examples is the purposelessness of the examples.

XML in a Nutshell, and Michael Kay's XLST reference have provided me much more joy.

My last word of advice- follow the examples live. XSLT and XPath need practice, and lots of it.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is an excellent XSLT Reference, May 6, 2002

By	Eric Lawson (Dallas, TX USA) - See all my reviews

In my XSLT work, I feel I refer to this book more often than the other book on my desk (Michael Kay's XSLT Programmers reference). This book exudes a much greater level of technical detail, especially when relating to XPath (a thorough understanding of which is incredibly important to any XSLT developer). The explanation of XPath Axes and Nodetests was extraordinarily helpful (it is a better reference than the standard itself).

The information provided for each XSLT element is quite detailed, and explains in great detail how those elements are used in actual stylesheets.

I suggest anyone interested in doing hardcore XSLT development have this book on your desk. While this is definately not in the league of "XSLT for Dummies", it certianly is an perfect reference for the seasoned developer trying to push XSLT to its limits.