Target Audience

This course is designed for the developer looking to further their web application development skills with XML. This course teaches developers how to use XML for data modelling and in all aspects of application development. Developers will learn how to use XML Schemas to model business data, and use XML Schemas within business systems.

Pre-requisites

The developer should be familiar with the Windows host environment. Knowledge of XML is required. This can be gained by attending course either course EC50, EC51 or EC52.

Course Objectives

Whilst covering the basics of XML grammars, DTDs and schemas, and how they are used, this course also aims to give an insight into XML schema syntax. Issues such as XML syntax, namespaces, document type definitions, XML schemas, schema composition, simple and complex types, built-in types and groups are discussed. On completion of this course the student will be able to:

•     Develop XML schema documents using valid XML syntax
•     Develop XML grammars, DTDs, and validate against an XML instance
•     Develop XML grammars, XML schemas, and validate against an XML instance
•     Develop highly reusable libraries of schema documents
•     Build and extend existing schema definitions
•     Use and reuse industry standard schemas

Course Environment

•     a text editor such as Notepad or TextPad
•     XML Spy

•     Internet Explorer 5.5 or greater
•     Netscape 6.0 or greater

Course Details

XML INTRODUCTION

XML Applications and Data

Standardised Generalised Mark-Up Languages

Meta Mark-Up Languages

Extensible Mark-Up Language - XML

Documents

Applications

Grammars

Parsers

Features

XML DOCUMENTS

XML Document Structure

Tags & Elements

Attributes

Well Formed Documents

Valid XML Documents

Viewing an XML Document

Using CSS Style Sheets

Using XSL Transformations

XML SYNTAX

XML Documents

XML Declaration

Elements

Element Hierarchy

Empty Elements

XML Names

Entity References

CDATA Sections

XML GRAMMARS

XML Validation

XML Parsers & Validators

Document Type Definitions

XML Schemas

Purpose of Grammars

Contracts with Trading Partners

Predefined Grammars

DOCUMENT TYPE DEFINITION (DTD)

DTD

Definition

Declaration

Formats

DTD Declaration

Internal Declarations

External Private Declarations

External Public Declarations

DTD Content

!ELEMENT Declaration

Content Model

#PCDATA

Child Elements

Empty

Any

Mixed Content

!ATTLIST Declaration

Attribute Type

CDATA

NMTOKEN & NMTOKENS

ENUMERATION

ENTITY & ENTITIES

ID

IDREF & IDREFS

NOTATION

Processing Instructions

SCHEMA INTRODUCTION

Schema Design

Accuracy and Precision

Clarity

Reusability and Extensibilty

Grammar Languages

SCHEMA STRUCTURE

Schema Components

Declarations

Definitions

Global Components

Local Components

Elements & Attributes

Simple and Complex Data Types

Built-In Simple Types

Simple Type Restriction

List and Union Types

Content Types

Content Models

SCHEMA NAMESPACES

XML Namespace Definition

Uniform Resource Identifier

Namespace Syntax

Namespace Names

Schema Namespace

Target Namespace

Schema Instance Namespace

SCHEMA COMPOSITION

Modular Schemas

Include

Redefine

Import

ELEMENT DECLARATIONS

Element Declarations

Global Elements

Local Elements

Global or Local Element Declaration ?

Element Data Types

Default Values

Fixed Values

Nulls and Nullability

ATTRIBUTE DECLARATIONS

Attribute Declarations

Global Attributes

Local Attributes

Global or Local Attribute Declaration ?

Attribute Data Types

Default Values

Fixed Values

SIMPLE TYPES

Simple Types

Simple Type Definitions

Simple Type Restrictions

Facets

Bound Facets

Length Facets

TotalDigits and FractionDigits Facets

Enumeration Facets

Pattern Facets

Whitespace Facets

REGULAR EXPRESSIONS

Regular Expression Structure

Atoms

Character Class Expressions

Quantifiers

UNION AND LIST TYPES

Union Types

List Types

Restricting List Types

List of Unions

BUILT-IN SIMPLE TYPE

String Based Types

String, NormalizedString and Token

Name

NCName

Language

Numeric Types

Float and Double

Decimal

Integer

Date and Time Types

Date

Time

Datetime

GYear

GYearMonth

GMonth

GMonthDay

GDay

Duration

TimeZones

Legacy Types

Other Types

QName

Boolean

HexBinary and Base64Binary

AnyURI

COMPLEX TYPES

Complex Type Definitions

Content Types

Element Only Content

Mixed Content

Empty Content

Element References

Model Groups

Sequence Groups

Choice Groups

Nesting of Sequence and Choice Groups

DERIVED COMPLEX TYPES

Derived Types

Complex Type Extensions

Complex Type Restrictions

Type Substitution

Controlling Derivation and Substitution

Final Property

Block Property

Abstract Types

REUSABLE GROUPS

Model Groups

Named Model Groups

Attribute Groups

SUBSTITUTION GROUPS

Substitution Groups

Substitution Group Hierarchy

Declaring Substitution Groups

Substitution Group Alternatives

IDENTITY CONSTRAINTS

Identity Constraints

Uniqueness Constraints

Key Constraints

Key Reference Constraints

Selectors

Fields

XPATH Expressions

NAMING CONSIDERATIONS

Naming Guidelines

XML Name Syntax

Separators

Course Format

Practical sessions make up a large part of the course, allowing delegates to demonstrate and reinforce the lectures given. During these sessions the delegate will gain experience of coding all types of XML documents and XML syntax as well as validating against existing XML processors and validators. Examples are used extensively, ranging from simple code snippets to full applications with complete ‘real world’ functionality. These are supplied at the start of the course and it is encouraged that the delegates execute and ‘experiment’ with these under the instructor’s guidance as they are introduced. These examples are available to take away, along with the delegate’s own work. The comprehensive Student Guide supplied is fully indexed serving as a useful reference tool long after the course has finished. Delegates will also be able to access a free help-line with technical questions relating to topics covered on the course.