This article was insightful in that it presented XML as a very accessible tool. I found its distinction of the three mark up types, XML processing instruction, document type declaration, and root elements, clear and focused.
I also enjoyed the discussion of the processes the XML allows: the bridging of multiple files, the ability to identify where images are to be incorporated, the processing control, and the addition of editorial comments. Also insightful was the inclusion of what XML is not: a predefined tag, or a standard template for the creation of documents.
2) Uche Ogbuji. A survey of XML standards: Part 1. January 2004.http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-stand1.html
I liked how this survey was broken down. I found it both readable and comprehensive. The rest of this section will be notes.
- XML: depends on unicode to define strict rules for text formatting
- Catalogs: define a format for instructions on how an xml processor resolves xml entity identifiers into actual documents.
- XML namespace: provides a mechanism for universal naming of elements and attributes in xml documents.
- XML Base: provides meaning of associating xml elements with URL's in order to be most specific on how relative URL's are resolved in xml processing actions.
3) Extending your Markup: a XML tutorial by Andre Bergholz PDF
This tutorial allowed me to gain a much better sense of the impact of a more meaningful mark up. The article included: XML namespace, stylesheets, and schema. Schema included: doc defintion mark up language, doc content description, schema for object orientation, and xml data.
4) XML Schema Tutorial http://www.w3schools.com/Schema/default.asp
I was really able to focus on the meaning of XML schema here.
Schema is: an element that can, appear in a doc, provide attributes to that document, define wat elements are child elements (including the number the doc contains).
The tutorial also aided in my understanding of why someone would use XML:
XML is (shortly): easier to describe, it validates correct data, it also defines data, facets and patterns, and it provides the user with no need to learn additional languages- thus allowing for the use of old schemas.
Posts
The schema tutorial really was where I felt I learned the most about XML, but I noticed that unlike the HTML tutorial there was no opportunity for you to try XML yourself. Did you miss that feature or did you feel like it still gave you a good grasp of XML?
ReplyDeleteI agree in that I would have like to have a tutorial where I could try it out for myself. I was impressed by the sheer number of resources that were referenced during the readings - no doubt they will be helpful in the future if I need to learn more in-depth information about XML.
ReplyDeleteI also think it would have been helpful to have a try-it-out area. I suppose it would be a little more difficult because XML has a different structure and use than say HTML.
ReplyDeleteThe markup language XML article did a good job explaining how it functions. What it is and what it is not. It was important to know that tags need to set up to 'be used to markup documents.'
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand XML. What is the difference between XML and HTML? I know that HTML is based on tags, while XML is more structure based. But, not having used HTML yet that doesn't mean a great deal to me.
ReplyDeleteI don't really understand XML, but the tutorials are fun to try your hand at it like the pros.It seems like a time consuming process to learn though - but with time and practice I am sure it has many great benefits.
ReplyDeleteThe Bergholz tutorial helped me the most-with defining the parts of XML and burgeoning technologies that complement XML. The readings make it seem like XDS is more compatible that DTD-but I'll have to try both for myself to see if that is the case.
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