book

Java and XSLT

by Eric M. Burke

September 2001

Intermediate to advanced

528 pages

13h 46m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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Audience
Java, XSLT, and the WebWhat’s Wrong with HTML?Keeping Data and Presentation SeparateThe XSLT Solution
SGML, XML, and Markup LanguagesXML SyntaxValidationJava and XMLSAXDOMJDOMJDOM and DOM interoperability
Web Development ChallengesWeb ApplicationsNonbrowser ClientsSOAPWireless

Java XSLT Processor ChoicesXTLotusXSLSAXONJAXP
XSLT IntroductionAn XSLT ExampleTrying It Out
XML Tree Data StructureRecursive Processing with TemplatesBuilt-in Template RulesA Skeleton Stylesheet
How XSLT Uses XPathAxesLocation StepsLocation PathsAbbreviated Syntax
Looping with <xsl:for-each>SortingLooping and Sorting Examples
<xsl:attribute>Attribute Value Templates<xsl:attribute-set>
Conditional Processing<xsl:if><xsl:choose>, <xsl:when>, and <xsl:otherwise>
<xsl:variable>Defining variablesUsing variables<xsl:call-template> and Named Templates<xsl:param>and <xsl:with-param>Incrementing VariablesTemplate Modes<xsl:template> Syntax Summary
<xsl:include><xsl:import>
Number FormattingText Formatting
An Example XML FileThe Identity TransformationTransforming Elements and AttributesThe Result File
Ant BasicsStylesheet FunctionalityThe Complete ExampleSpecifying XHTML outputCreating the dependency graphCleaning up dependency lists
Traditional ApproachesCGIServlets as CGI ReplacementsJSPTemplate EnginesThe Hybrid Approach
Web FrameworksModel-View-ControllerXSLT ImplementationDevelopment and Maintenance Benefits of XSLT
Tradeoffs
A Simple ExampleThe DesignXalan 1 ImplementationSAXON ImplementationSAXON, Xalan, or TrAX?
JAXP 1.1 ImplementationXSLT Plugability LayerThe Transformer ClassJAXP XSLT Design
System Identifiers, Files, and URLsJAXP I/O DesignJAXP Stream I/OJAXP DOM I/OJAXP SAX I/OThe approachDetailed CSV to SAX designWriting the custom parserUsing the parserConclusionFeeding JDOM Output into JAXPJDOM to SAX approachJDOM to DOM approachJDOM to text approach
Templates APIA Stylesheet Cache
Servlet SyntaxSplash Screen Servlet Example
WAR FilesDeployment DescriptorDeploying SplashScreenServlet to TomcatServlet API Highlights
DesignXML and StylesheetsSource CodeDeploymentHow to Compile, Deploy, and RunLocating Stylesheets with Initialization Parameters
Integration with the Stylesheet Cache
Servlet Threading ModelThread Safety TipsTip 1: Local variables are thread-safeTip 2: Immutable objects are thread-safeTip 3: Provide a single point of entryTip 4: Understand the Templates interface
Overall ProcessRequirementsScreen Flow
XHTML PrototypesXML SamplesXSLT Stylesheets
Domain ClassesData Adapter LayerJDOM XML Production
DeploymentIdeas for Enhancements
XSLT Page Layout Templates
Servlet Session-Tracking APISession Tracking with Java and XSLT
Filter OverviewXSLT Transformation FilterClosing Thoughts on Filters
XSLT Stylesheet DesignEncodingsCreating the XML and XSLTPutting It All TogetherXML dataXSLT stylesheetsWeb page and servletI18n Troubleshooting Checklist
Development EnvironmentCLASSPATH IssuesJAR hell?Sealing violationsOther exceptions and errorsJava optional packagesJava IDEsAntInstalling AntA typical Ant build fileTransforming using Ant’s style taskTomcatConfiguring Tomcat 3.2.xConfiguring Tomcat 4.0.x
JUnitAn example unit testRunning the testJAXP 1.1 Error ListenersA Custom XSLT Transformer GUIScreen shotsSource code
Stress Testing with JMeterMore Detailed MeasurementsCommercial optionsJVMPIUnit testingUsing XSLT Processors EffectivelyStylesheet cachingResult cachingWriting Effective XSLTInteracting with EJBSending XML from EJBsSending objects from EJBs
Wireless TechnologiesWhy Not HTML?Problems with HTMLLimitations of current devices
A WML ExampleWMLScript and WBMPServlets and WMLIdentifying the clientSetting the content typeMovie Theater ExampleStoryboardXML dataWML prototypes and screen shotsServlet implementationXSLT stylesheets

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Getting Started

The best way to get started with new technologies is to experiment. For example, if you do not know XSLT, you should experiment with plenty of stylesheets as you work through the next two chapters. Aside from trying out the examples that appear in this book, you may want to invent a simple XML data file that represents something of interest to you, such as your personal music collection or family tree. Using XSLT stylesheets, try to create web pages that show your data in many different formats.

Once the basics of XSLT are out of the way, servlets will be your next big challenge. Although the servlet API is not particularly difficult to learn, configuration and deployment issues can make it difficult to debug and test your applications. The best advice is to start small, writing a very basic application that proves your environment is configured correctly before moving on to more sophisticated examples. Apache’s Tomcat is probably the best servlet container for beginners because it is free, easy to configure, and is the official reference implementation for Sun’s servlet API. A servlet container is the server that runs servlets. Chapter 6 covers the essentials of the servlet API, but for all the details you will want to pick up a copy of Java Servlet Programming by Jason Hunter (O’Reilly). You definitely want to get the second edition because it covers the dramatic changes that were introduced in Version 2.2 of the servlet API.