MicroKnowledge: Using XML for Web Site Management

Using XML for Web Site Management

This two-day course offers a custom-designed, hands-on approach to XML based on the University at Albany’s Center for Technology in Government’s eight years of research and practice in the use of XML and MicroKnowledge’s 23 years of experience in delivering high-quality technical training.

Day One covers the basics needed to understand and apply XML in your Web environment using examples and exercises based on proven research and applications from CTG’s own Web site and its work with New York State agencies.

Day Two expands on these examples to help you develop your skills in applying XML to specific Web issues such as managing content and multiple output formats (including PDF). The two class days are separated by one week to give you time to apply the initial training, understand how it applies to your workplace, and return to the Day Two lab with specific questions and ideas to work on to adapt XML for your unique environment. The course will give you a strong understanding of XML, along with hands-on experience in putting that knowledge to work in the “real world.” In addition, a 100-page training guide and all sample files will be provided to you on a flash drive as part of your registration and attendance.

Recommended Preparation: Creating Web Pages with (X)HTML, or equivalent knowledge.

Day 1

Lesson 1: From HTML to XML

What is HTML?
What is XHTML?
What are Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)?
What is XML?

Lesson 2: How XML Structures Content

Creating a Basic XML Document
Well-Formed XML
Valid XML
Document Type Definition (DTD)
Schema
XML Parsers
DOM
SAX
XML Vocabularies
Namespaces

Lesson 3: Overview of XSL

What is XSL?
How Does XSLT Work?
How Does XPath Work?
How Does XSL-FO Work?
XSLT Processors

Lesson 4: XSLT Templates, Patterns, and XPath Expressions

XSLT Templates
XSLT Patterns
Advanced Template Match Patterns

Lesson 5: Commonly Used XSLT Elements

Functional Grouping of XSLT Elements
Define Structure of Stylesheet
Define Template Rules and Control How They are Used
Generate Output
Define Which Nodes are Selected for Output
Sort and Number
Control Conditional Processing
Define Variables and Parameters

Lesson 6: XSL Transformations and XSL:FO

Transforming XML with XSL
XSL-FO
Incorporating JavaScript and CSS
Preparing for Day Two

Software used during the class - Altova's XMLSpy.

Day One and Day Two surveys

Day 2

Exercise 1

Building a Web Page with Parameters, Includes, and Imports

Exercise 2

Navigation Menu, Strings, Sorting, Numbering with XSL

Exercise 3

Customized Transformations and Counting with XSL

Exercise 4

Advanced Page Formatting (PDF) with XSL-FO

Exercise 5

From Word to the Web, Office 2007 and XML

Exercise 6

Using RSS as a Simple Entry into XML

Exercise 7

More Fun with the DOM

The Rest of the Day

Applying What You Have Learned to your Web Site

The lab setting of Day 2 will enable students to work individually, in small groups, or as a class — depending on what interests them and what works best. All of the Day 2 exercises are provided as starting points for students to develop and expand as they see fit with one-on-one help from the instructor.

For example, if you are particularly interested in creating PDFs from XML “on the fly,” you can spend the day building on the examples in Exercise 4. Or, you can choose to experiment more with all the sample exercises to gain a broader understanding of what can be done with XML. You can also come to Day 2 with a specific example of your own that you want help learning how to apply to your unique Web environment.

All the examples are fully commented within the code to help you see what they do and how they do it. The instructor will walk through each example step-by-step and circulate throughout the day offering guidance and assistance.