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July 24th, 2003, 10:00 AM

Wolfgar

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New to XML

Hello all.

I am new to XML and am working on a project at work. A client is going to start sending us an XML file and I need to extract the data from this file and insert it into a database. It will then be viewed by HTML/Webspeed programs.

I have a book on learning XML and it seems to document the process of transormation fairly clear except for one par: It skips how to link a document to be transformed to the "template".

What I could really use is a simple, real-life example on how to take an XML file and "parse out the data".

The file structure is set up like this:

<orders>
<order>
<item />
<item />
<item />
</order>
</orders>

I need to take the values from each of the attributes in "item" and create the records in the database.

Currently I am trying to create an XSLT file that will transform the XML file (experimenting by changing to HTML file), but I don't know how to "link" them together....

Any help would be greatly appreciated....

July 24th, 2003, 10:14 AM

tank80

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simply add a processing instruction after the xml declaration

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="myStyle.xsl"?>
<firstNode>
....
</firstNode>

Last edited by tank80 : July 24th, 2003 at 10:20 AM.

July 24th, 2003, 10:25 AM

Wolfgar

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Quote:

Originally posted by tank80
simply add a processing instruction after the xml declaration

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" ?> <?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="myStyle.xsl"?> <firstNode> .... </firstNode>

OK, so you are saying to put that line of code into the XML file, right? Then, when I "execute" the XML file (open in browser), it will format based on the template?

July 24th, 2003, 11:22 AM

tank80

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exactly like that

July 24th, 2003, 11:29 AM

Wolfgar

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I tried that and am getting the same results.

The XML file, before opening in browser, is just normal looking code. When I open in a browser, the text turn red, the values of atts get bold, the elements take on the "+" and "-" signs to expand and contract.

But, the effects that are in my .xsl file template are not applied....

July 24th, 2003, 11:44 AM

Wolfgar

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For example, the following code:

?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xml" href="e:\ECOM\newstyle.xsl"?>
<dean>
<reed name="Dean" lname="Reed" address="Latrobe" />
<reed fname="Dean" lname="reed" address="Latrobe" />
</dean>

is normal in an editor, but when I open in browser, the the tags turn red and <dean> is expandable/contractable.

Both this file AND the newstyle.xsl are in the same directory. The .xsl file is this:

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?>
<xsl:stylesheet id="dean"
version="1.0"
xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsl:template match="dean">
<html>
<body>
<h1>Orders</h1>
<xsl:apply-templates/>
</body>
</html>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

When I open the xml file in a browser, I should display the values of "dean" in <h1></h1> type font, right?

Maybe I am all twisted around..

July 24th, 2003, 11:46 AM

tank80

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try putting an additional node into your stylesheet that specifies the output format.

Code:

<xsl:stylesheet ... >
  <xsl:output method="html"/>

   <!-- your stylesheet here -->

</xsl:stylesheet>

EDIT: damn smilies... the

is "colon o"

July 24th, 2003, 11:50 AM

Wolfgar

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Actually, I am getting this error when I open the xsl file in browser:

The XML page cannot be displayed
Cannot view XML input using XSL style sheet. Please correct the error and then click the Refresh button, or try again later.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only one top level element is allowed in an XML document. Error processing resource 'file:///E:/ECOM/newstyle.xsl'. Line 3, Position 2

<xsl:stylesheet id="dean"

July 24th, 2003, 11:52 AM

Wolfgar

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NM that last post, I put the output statement under the stylesheet statement and it was ok.

I still don't get HTML output though...

#10

July 24th, 2003, 11:54 AM

tank80

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sorry...saw your latest post just now

if you want to output the nodes inside "dean" the xls should be written like this:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?> 
<xsl:stylesheet id="dean" version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"> 
<xsl:output method="html"/>
<xsl:template match="dean"> 
<html> 
<body> 
<h1>Orders</h1>
<xsl:for-each select="reed">
    <!-- this outputs the attribute "address" -->
    <xsl:value-of select="@address"/><br>
</xsl:for-each>
</body> 
</html> 
</xsl:template> 

<xsl:template match="/">
    <xsl:apply-templates/> 
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

#11

July 24th, 2003, 12:02 PM

Wolfgar

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Here is the code.

XSL file:
<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?>
<xsl:stylesheet id="dean" version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
<xsloutput method="html"/>
<xsl:template match="dean">
<html>
<body>
<h1>Test</h1>
<xsl:for-each select="reed">

<xsl:value-of select="@address"/><br></br>
</xsl:for-each>
</body>
</html>
</xsl:template>

<xsl:template match="/">
<xsl:apply-templates/>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

XML File.
<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xml" href="e:\ECOM\newstyle.xsl"?>
<test>
<dean>
<reed name="Dean" lname="Reed" address="Latrobe" />
<reed fname="Dean" lname="reed" address="Latrobe" />
</dean>
</test>

Again, both files are in the same directory and when I open up the XML file in a browser, all I see is the exapandable/contractable elements/sub-elements-atts....

#12

July 24th, 2003, 12:03 PM

Wolfgar

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It is as though the XML file is not "seeing" the xsl file....

#13

July 24th, 2003, 12:12 PM

tank80

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xml file:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?> 
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="e:\ECOM\newstyle.xsl"?> 
<test> 
 <dean> 
  <reed name="Dean" lname="Reed" address="Latrobe" /> 
  <reed fname="Dean" lname="reed" address="Latrobe" /> 
 </dean> 
</test>

xsl file:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?> 
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"> 
 <xsl:output method="html"/> 
 <xsl:template match="dean"> 
  <html> 
   <body> 
    <h1>Test</h1> 
    <xsl:for-each select="reed"> 
     <!-- this outputs the attribute "address" --> 
     <xsl:value-of select="@address"/><br></br> 
    </xsl:for-each> 
   </body> 
  </html> 
 </xsl:template> 

 <xsl:template match="/"> 
  <xsl:apply-templates/> 
 </xsl:template> 
</xsl:stylesheet>

tested and works....maybe an issue with the browser? which version are you using?

#14

July 24th, 2003, 12:16 PM

Wolfgar

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I am using IE 5.0. I can upgrade to 5.5, but I was downgraded from 6.0 so 5.5 is as high as I can go (company rules).

What output did you get?

#15

July 24th, 2003, 01:24 PM

tank80

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sorry for the late...

i have this output:

Test
Latrobe
Latrobe

i don't know if IE 5.x can transform xml documents with xsl...IE 6 is working. Is that a project requirement?

Last edited by tank80 : July 24th, 2003 at 01:28 PM.

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