Table of Contents

What is XML? Background to XML; SGML; The Web and HTML; HTML described; HTML shortcomings; The Extensible Markup Language; Uses of XML; Exercises; XML documents: XML is strict; What makes a document?; Comments and spacing; Element rules; Attribute rules; Character encoding; Entities; Unparsed data; Exercises; Document Type Definition: DTDs and XML documents; Defining elements; Attributes; General and parameter entities; Unparsed entities; City quide; Exercises; XML on the Web: Cascading style sheets; CSS files; Our first stylesheet; Text features; More style; Positioning elements; Exercises; Namespaces and XSD: Namespaces; Namespace syntax; XSD; Element types; Data types; Facets; Attributes; A new schema; Exercises; XLST: Transforming XML; Transformations on the client; Xpath; Making a XSLT stylesheet; Multiple templates; Looping and checking; Exercises; XML miscellany: Linking; XHTML; Converting HTML to XHTML; Document object models; SAX; Exercises; Enhancing web content: Multimedia; SMIL; Rich media; Regions; Embedding a presentation; Popularising your site using XML; Rich Site Summary; Aggregators; RSS standards; Exercises; WAP and mobile devices: Mobiles and the Internet; WAP technology; Testing WAP pages; WAP browsers; A WML page; Multiple cards; Mobile-compatible images; Input, events and timers; The future; Exercises; Real-world XML: XML tools; SVG; MathML; XML Encryption; SOAP; Web services; Enhancing documents; Looking forward; Web sites; Appendices: XML overview; CSS overview; SMIL overview; WML overview; Answers to exercises; Glossary.

Promotional Information

* Exercises and material builds up into a simple project * Starts from first principles and does not assume the reader is an expert * Constructed to give all the information needed to build an XML driven web site

About the Author

Robert is a computer programmer. He has a BSc degree in Computer Technology and an MSc in Interactive Multimedia Systems, both from Liverpool John Moores University. Presently he is interested in online education, particularly ways of improving the teaching of programming skills. Sharon is a computer programmer. She has a B.A.(Hons) degree in Psychology/Sociology, an MSc in Health Psychology, both from the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Interactive Multimedia Systems from Liverpool John Moores University. Presently she is interested in online education and has just developed an entire BSc Multimedia Course (available online and off line) for Undergraduate students at Liverpool John Moores University. She has also worked as a professional freelance web developer and designer and is also interested in the psychology behind the computing industry specializing in the Human Computer Interaction field (HCI).