XML by Example

The DTD is an attempt to bridge that gap. DTD is a formal description of

the document. Software tools can read it and learn about the document

structure. Consequently, the tools can adapt themselves to better support

the document structure.

For example, some XML editors use DTDs to populate their element lists as

well as adopt default styling, based on the DTD. Finally, these XML editors

will guide the author by making certain the structure is followed.

In other words, the editor is a generic tool that accepts any XML document,

but it is configured for a specific application (read specific structure)

through the DTD.

Figure 3.1 is a screenshot from a ...