Description
This course covers the parsing and validation of XML using both the SAX (Simple API for XML) and DOM (Document Object Model) parsers and the integration of these parsers into Java-based applications. The course covers the use of XSLT to transform XML documents into multiple formats. The course also covers the use of XML as a means of data interchange in a Java-based distributed Web application.

Audience
The course is intended for Web and application developers who are interested in learning to use XML and Java together in order to leverage the platform independence and versatility of each.

Prerequisites
The course assumes a working knowledge of both XML and Java: for example, completion of Arkoa's Introduction to XML and Java2 Programming. Knowledge of JDBC, and Java servlets, and Tomcat Web Server are helpful, but not necessary.

Hardware and Software
Each course participant needs a Windows 98, ME, NT, or 2000 PC, or a Unix workstation with the following software:

Format

• Presentation
  
• Hands-on
  
• Demonstration
  

Objectives
After completing this course, participants should be able to:

• Describe the differences between SAX and DOM parsers
• Use SAX and DOM parsers together with Java to manipulate and validate XML documents.
• Write XSL stylesheets and use XSLT together with Java to transform an XML document into multiple formats
• Use XML as a means of data interchange in a Java Servlet based distributed Web application

SAX: Simple API for XML

• Parsing Overview
  • DOM vs SAX
  • Apache xerces parser
• Parsing XML with SAX2 (Simple API for XML)
  • SAX2 classes
  • SAX2 interfaces
  • SAX2 methods
• Validating XML with SAX2
• SAX2 handlers and auxiliary interfaces
• SAX2 error handling

Document Object Model (DOM)

• Document Object Model (W3C DOM) overview
• DOM interfaces
  • Node types
  • DOM error handling
• Modifying XML documents using the DOM
• JAXP overview
• Creating a DOM tree using JAXP
• JDOM (Java DOM) overview
  • Principal differences between JDOM and the W3C DOM

XSL, Xpath and XSLT

• XSL overview
  • XPATH
• XSLT
  • Overview of XSLT
  • Anatomy of XSL stylesheet
  • Basic XSL programming constructs
  • Xalan XSLT processor
• Transforming XML using XSLT and Xalan

XML in Java-based Web Applications

• XML in a servlet-based Web application
  • General structure of a servlet-based Web application
  • XML for data interchange
  • XML and XSLT in a servlet-based Web application
• Populating a database with XML data
  • JDBC overview
  • Parsing with the XML DOM
  • Moving XML data into a database using JDBC
• Querying a database from the client-side and returning HTML
  • Creating a database query with HTML form data and Java servlets
  • Building an XML document with query results
  • Transforming an XML document to HTML using XSLT
  • Displaying query results in HTML on the client-side