XML
By Example
ISBN:
0-13-960-162-7
Author:
Sean McGrath. Mr. McGrath is a software
engineer at Digitome Electronic Publishing. He also is the author of ParseMe 1st
SGML for Software Developers.
Pages: 470 + CD-ROM
Intended
Audience:
XML
by Example was written to serve the business executive, analyst, programmer,
or consultant that needs to understand the details of XML and how to
implement XML-based eCommerce applications. The title provides information
at the executive overview level with enough technical detail to assist
the consultant or programmer building eCommerce applications.
Summary:
This book is divided into 4 distinct parts. You might choose to read one or
all of the parts depending on your role in implementing an eCommerce
application. The first part of the book provides a jumpstart in
understanding XML in a generic sense. This part uses an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
format to quickly give you a grasp of XML and its business application. Questions such as Where did XML
get its name? or What does XML look like? provide a readable
alternative to the usual textbook approach to this topic. Immediately following the FAQ
executive summary, McGrath, provides a series of vignettes of XML in
Action. The reader quickly
sees how XML is changing the Web by understanding how XML facilitates
push technology active channels, electronic banking, and software
distribution. Numerous flow
charts and screen snaps help the reader see how XML provides new Web
functionality. Chapter 3 and
Chapter 4 focus on commercial benefits and competitive advantage that can
be gained by using XML at the heart of your eCommerce application. Chapter 5 completes the jumpstart
by going back to the details of XML. In this chapter we are introduced to just enough of
the syntax of XML and the methods to create XML documents to get us
started.
The second part of XML by Example, provides us
with a series of examples! Chapter
6 focuses on Internet Explorer.
It gives examples of displaying XML as an HTML table, storing XML
in an HTML document, performing calculations, navigating through XML and
converting XML to HTML for viewing using an XSL style sheet. Each example is accompanied with
sample XML input/output as well as screen clips from the browser. These examples are easy to follow
and easy to reproduce. Each
example can be used as a model for the reader to build his or her own XML
application. The audience
for this part of the book is most likely a consultant or even a Webmaster
who wants to employ XML in their own Web site.
The third part of XML by Example, provides more
technical detail about XML and related standards. Again, this part of the book is
most likely to be useful for webmasters, programmers and consultants who
must actually build eCommerce applications. In addition, I have used this portion of the book to
serve as reference material.
In Part 3 we find introductions to XSL, XLL, and the DOM. Particularly useful is the
discussion of Unicode. This
chapter focusing on Unicode provides an excellent introduction to this
complex and often puzzling topic.
The fourth part of XML by Example, takes a look
at the emerging eCommerce initiatives. This part examines the Open Financial Exchange, EDI,
and the Open Trading Protocol.
I found the material in the section to be the most quickly
dated. Understanding the
eCommerce standards landscape is something one must keep up with on
almost a daily basis.
However the chapter does lay the groundwork necessary to embark on
this challenging activity!
Finally one cannot overlook the accompanying
CD-ROM. The CD contains both
free software and trial software.
Particularly useful are the validating and non-validating XML
parsers. Also the CD
contains a wealth of tagged XML text that can be used for testing and
development. It also
contains copies of some of the leading standards such as XML, XSL, and
XLL. Again, it is important
to note that these standards change rapidly and the best source for Web
standards is always http://www.w3.org/TR.
I would recommend this text for a number of
audiences. First, this
is a great book for those trying to make the transition from HTML to XML
for eCommerce Web sites. It
is a good text for those who what to learn about XML from a high level,
yet business oriented point of view. Finally the inclusion of so many examples, as well as
parsers and lots of XML documents make this a good addition to the
library of the programmer or consultant who must deal with XML in hands-on
mode.
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