XML / XSL Discussion Boards

dratti9-Jul-03 5:28

9-Jul-03 5:28

Hi all,

I'm trying to convert a .NET DataSet into something viewable by a webbrowser. Its trivial to get the dataSet into XML format (.WriteXML), and then I need to transform that with an XSLT transformation. The problem is, the dataset comes back as xml like this:

<br />
...<br />
<Table><br />
    <OBJECT_NAME>ADD_ADZIP</OBJECT_NAME><br />
    <OBJECT_ID>164116</OBJECT_ID><br />
    <OBJECT_TYPE>PROCEDURE</OBJECT_TYPE><br />
    <CREATED>2003-06-19T14:08:03.0000000-04:00</CREATED><br />
    <LAST_DDL_TIME>2003-06-19T14:10:19.0000000-04:00</LAST_DDL_TIME><br />
    <TIMESTAMP>1998-12-22:11:10:19</TIMESTAMP><br />
    <STATUS>VALID</STATUS><br />
</Table><br />
<Table><br />
    <OBJECT_NAME>ADD_LABEL</OBJECT_NAME><br />
    <OBJECT_ID>164202</OBJECT_ID><br />
    <OBJECT_TYPE>FUNCTION</OBJECT_TYPE><br />
    <CREATED>2003-06-19T14:08:11.0000000-04:00</CREATED><br />
    <LAST_DDL_TIME>2003-06-19T14:10:20.0000000-04:00</LAST_DDL_TIME><br />
    <TIMESTAMP>1998-12-22:11:10:20</TIMESTAMP><br />
    <STATUS>INVALID</STATUS><br />
</Table><br />
...<br />

Which is fine but I get lost when it comes to transforming this data with an XSLT file. The problem is I need to know the element names (OBJECT_NAME, OBJECT_ID, etc) for the html file, but I do not want to hard-code these names into my .xslt file, nor do I wish to generate one on the fly.

To give you some more background: All this app does is select some rows from a user defined table and outputs them to some files (CVS, tab delimited, and xml/html). The html is nothing fancy, I just want to dump them into a standard html table that is viewable in a browser, with field names at the top and data beneath it.

This doesnt seem like it should be too hard to do. Every example of XSLT Ive seen is very clear and straightforward, I just havent been able to find anything about grabbing an elements name, and Im not sure how to change the format of the XML given by the dataset (which would be another solution - if I just formatted the xml differently).

Any suggestions? Thanks
Dave Ratti

Re: .NET DataSet -> Xml + XSLT -> HTML

Philip Fitzsimons9-Jul-03 6:56

Philip Fitzsimons

9-Jul-03 6:56

use need to use the name() function in xslt.
In order to not hard code element names you should pass them as parameters to your xslt.

so something like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?><br />
<xsl:stylesheet <br />
  xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"<br />
  version="1.0" ><br />
<br />
  <xsl:param name="column_name">object_NAME</xsl:param><br />
<br />
  <xsl:template match="/"><br />
    <xsl:value-of select="//table/*[name() = $column_name]/text()"&/><br />
  </xsl:template><br />
<br />
</xsl:stylesheet>

if you don't pass a parameter to your xslt, then it will default to 'object_NAME'.

c# calling code:

XslTransform xslt = new XslTransform();<br />
XmlDocument document = new XmlDocument();<br />
document.LoadXml(xmlFileName);<br />
xslt.Load(stylesheetFileName);<br />
<br />
MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream();<br />
XPathNavigator nav = document.CreateNavigator();<br />
<br />
XsltArgumentList xslArg = new XsltArgumentList();<br />
<br />
xslArg.AddParam("column_name", "", "name of column you want");<br />
<br />
xslt.Transform(nav, xslArg, ms, null);<br />
<br />
// output to a stream<br />
StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(ms);<br />
ms.Position = 0;<br />
string result = sr.ReadToEnd();<br />
sr.Close();

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

Re: .NET DataSet -> Xml + XSLT -> HTML

dratti9-Jul-03 9:42

dratti

9-Jul-03 9:42

Great, thanks.

One more question - what if I dont know how many columns the table is going to have? I think I might be able to hack something together with mxlns:script, unless anyone has a better idea?

Thanks
Dave Ratti

Re: .NET DataSet -> Xml + XSLT -> HTML

Philip Fitzsimons10-Jul-03 2:47

Philip Fitzsimons

10-Jul-03 2:47

as you guessed you will have to scripting to do this - version 1 of xsl is pretty bare bones...

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

Re: .NET DataSet -> Xml + XSLT -> HTML

dratti10-Jul-03 4:21

dratti

10-Jul-03 4:21

Ok, thanks for your time; you were very helpful

Dave ratti

XML DOM get current position Node

Anonymous9-Jul-03 0:18

Anonymous

9-Jul-03 0:18

When i search a certain xml-file using "selectNodes("//ROOT/BLA")" and i receive the found nodes. Is it possible to get iterate through those found nodes and retrieve their current position in the xml-tree? (remember that this is DOM and not XSLT, so "position()" and all that crap won't work).

Any help is greatly appriciated.

Re: XML DOM get current position Node

Philip Fitzsimons9-Jul-03 7:10

Philip Fitzsimons

9-Jul-03 7:10

by position I presume you mean name - you could use:

XmlNodeList results = document.SelectNodes(""//root/bla");<br />
foreach (XmlNode result in rtesults)<br />
{<br />
  Console.Write("found {0} value = '{1}'", GetNodeName(result), result.value);<br />
}<br />
<br />
string GetNodeName(XmlNode node)<br />
{<br />
  string result = node.LocalName;<br />
<br />
  if (node.Parent != null)<br />
    result = GetNodeName(node.Parent) + "/" + result;<br />
<br />
  return result;<br />
}

if you want the position then just change the above function to count previousSiblings:

<br />
string GetNodePosition(XmlNode node)<br />
{<br />
  int previousSiblings = 0; <br />
  for (XmlNode previous_node = node.PreviousSibling; previous_node != null; previous_node = previous_node.PreviousSibling)<br />
    previousSiblings++;<br />
  string result = previousSiblings.ToString();<br />
<br />
  if (node.Parent != null)<br />
    result = GetNodeName(node.Parent) + "/" + result;<br />
<br />
  return result;<br />
}

hope this helps

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

Re: XML DOM get current position Node

Anonymous10-Jul-03 2:08

Anonymous

10-Jul-03 2:08

yeah...i thought i would have to write my own function to calculate the current position. I was hoping i overlooked something and that it was possible to retrieve the index/position directly from a found node. Thanks though, for your reply.

XML Schema Import

Jason Weibel8-Jul-03 8:46

Jason Weibel

8-Jul-03 8:46

I am attempting to create a generic xml schema file that defines element type restrictions. That file is then imported into my additional xml schemas, which make use of the defined types. Here is what I have.
General Formatting File

<br />
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><br />
<xs:schema id="GeneralFormatting" <br />
targetNamespace="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd"<br />
elementFormDefault="qualified"<br />
xmlns:gns="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd"<br />
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"><br />
<br />
  <!-- Define format restriction -->  <br />
  <xs:simpleType name="UserName"><br />
    <xs:restriction base="xs:string"><br />
      <xs:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9])*"></xs:pattern><br />
      <xs:whiteSpace value="preserve" /><br />
    </xs:restriction><br />
  </xs:simpleType><br />
</xs:schema><br />

XML Schema

<br />
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><br />
<xs:schema id="WTNManagement_XSD" <br />
  targetNamespace="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/Management.xsd" <br />
  elementFormDefault="qualified" <br />
  xmlns:tns="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/Management.xsd"<br />
  xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"><br />
<br />
<xs:import <br />
  namespace="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd" <br />
  schemaLocation="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd" /><br />
<br />
  <!-- definition of elements --><br />
  <xs:element name="Management" id="Management"><br />
    <xs:complexType><br />
      <xs:sequence><br />
        <!-- File Sequence number, must be unique --><br />
        <xs:element name="SeqNum" type="xs:integer" /><br />
        <!-- User making request --><br />
        <xs:element name="UserName" type="xs:UserName" /><br />
      </xs:sequence><br />
    </xs:complexType><br />
  </xs:element><br />
</xs:schema><br />

This code isn't working could someone point me in the right direction.
Thanks

Jason W.

Re: XML Schema Import

Retsof Nawor8-Jul-03 10:14

Retsof Nawor

8-Jul-03 10:14

You shouldn't be using the xs: prefix for the UserName type in the second schema, as the xs is for the schema namespace. You probably should define another xmlns for the imported namespace ie xmlns:gf="http:....GeneralFormatting.xsd"
and then have <xs:element name="UserName" type="gf:UserName">

Re: XML Schema Import

Jason Weibel8-Jul-03 10:24

Jason Weibel

8-Jul-03 10:24

Something like this?
Generic Formatting XML Schema

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><br />
<xs:schema id="GeneralFormatting" <br />
targetNamespace="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd"<br />
elementFormDefault="qualified"<br />
xmlns:ns="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd"<br />
xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"><br />
<br />
  <!-- Define format restriction -->  <br />
  <xs:simpleType name="UserName"><br />
    <xs:restriction base="xs:string"><br />
      <xs:pattern value="([a-zA-Z0-9])*"></xs:pattern><br />
      <xs:whiteSpace value="preserve" /><br />
    </xs:restriction><br />
  </xs:simpleType><br />
</xs:schema><br />

Additional XML Schema

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><br />
<xs:schema id="WTNManagement_XSD" <br />
  targetNamespace="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/Management.xsd" <br />
  elementFormDefault="qualified" <br />
  xmlns:tns="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/Management.xsd"<br />
  xmlns:gns="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd"  <br />
  xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"><br />
<br />
<xs:import <br />
  schemaLocation="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd" /><br />
<br />
  <!-- definition of elements --><br />
  <xs:element name="Management" id="Management"><br />
    <xs:complexType><br />
      <xs:sequence><br />
        <!-- File Sequence number, must be unique --><br />
        <xs:element name="SeqNum" type="xs:integer" /><br />
        <!-- User making request --><br />
        <xs:element name="UserName" type="gns:UserName" /><br />
      </xs:sequence><br />
    </xs:complexType><br />
  </xs:element><br />
</xs:schema>

Thanks

Jason W.

Re: XML Schema Import

Jason Weibel8-Jul-03 10:36

Jason Weibel

8-Jul-03 10:36

Here are the details of the error message I’m getting.

<br />
Type ‘http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd:UserName’ is not declared. An error occurred at ... <br />

Hope that helps.

Jason W.

Re: XML Schema Import

Retsof Nawor8-Jul-03 10:50

Retsof Nawor

8-Jul-03 10:50

In your first schema you should change the xmlns:gns="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd" to xmlns="http://localhost/XMLWebServices/GeneralFormatting.xsd" so that all types declared are in that namespace, otherwise you would have to put the gns prefix on all type names...

rss file

jphuphilly8-Jul-03 3:52

jphuphilly

8-Jul-03 3:52

Does anybody know where i could find an amazon.com rss file or any other book store rss files.................thanks

Da Intern

childnodes.length

xaphod5-Jul-03 10:45

xaphod

5-Jul-03 10:45

Hi I'm trying to generate an xml browseroutput using classic ASP, VBScript and Set objXML=server.CreateObject("MSXML.DOMDocument")
I've addes some elements. But In an allready created element, how do I get the childnodes.length? It should be something like num=objXML.firstChild.childnodes.length??? but I don't know the correct syntax.

Can somebody please help? /xaphod

£ sign in XSL output

autographics4-Jul-03 20:46

autographics

4-Jul-03 20:46

All efforts at generating a £ sign in the output HTML have failed. Any suggestions?

Re: £ sign in XSL output

Paul Watson6-Jul-03 8:42

Paul Watson

6-Jul-03 8:42

I am not sure about this but have you tried &<m>pound; ?

Paul Watson
Bluegrass
Cape Town, South Africa

Roger Wright wrote:
Personally, I'm seeking a red-headed, double-breasted mattress thrasher

Re: £ sign in XSL output

Philip Fitzsimons7-Jul-03 2:57

Philip Fitzsimons

7-Jul-03 2:57

£ -> £
￡ -> ￡

"When the only tool you have is a hammer, a sore thumb you will have."

XSL Question Please Help Sorry I'm still learning

Gerry Long3-Jul-03 5:47

Gerry Long

3-Jul-03 5:47

I would hope anyone can help me understand a certain problem I am currently having with a small piece of code. I would be very grateful if anyone could give me some ideas on how I could structure my XSL template to produce an output similar to the following table given the attached Test.xml source. I seem to be using for-each and the priority attribute but cant pinpoint where to place it correctly.

View the Test.xml source at :
http://www.angelfire.com/pro/atbgmxsl/Test.xml

Required result in table format is :
ASXCode Company Name Company Statistics/Interim Dates Annual Balance Sheet/Cash

RWS Rothbury Wines Limited -- 99,000

OCO Oriel Communications Limited 12/2002 97,065

NRL Newland Resources Limited 12/2002 95,143

MCL M2M Corporation Limited 12/2002 95,033

SUP Supersorb Environment NL 12/2002 94,328

Re: XSL Question Please Help Sorry I'm still learning

Not Active3-Jul-03 9:58

Not Active

3-Jul-03 9:58

Just a quick shot at it

<table>
<xsl:for-each select="root/ResultSet/Record">
<tr>
<xsl:for-each select="Column">
<td><xsl:value-of select="." /></td>
</xsl:for-each>
</tr>
</xsl:for-each>
</table>

Web Service Problem...

Jason Weibel3-Jul-03 5:42

Jason Weibel

3-Jul-03 5:42

I’m creating my first web service and running into the following error.

A first chance exception of type 'System.Net.WebException' occurred in system.dll
Additional information: The remote server returned an error: (401) Unauthorized.

The error occurs in the Reference.vb file when I try to retrieve a string value from a function in the asmx file. Here is some of the code from the Reference.vb file.

<br />
<System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapDocumentMethodAttribute("http://localhost/XMLWebServices/ReturnValue", RequestNamespace:="http://localhost/XMLWebServices ", ResponseNamespace:="http://localhost/ XMLWebServices ", Use:=System.Web.Services.Description.SoapBindingUse.Literal, ParameterStyle:=System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapParameterStyle.Wrapped)> _<br />
        Public Function ReturnValue() As String<br />
            Dim results() As Object = Me.Invoke("ReturnValue", New Object(-1) {})<br />
            Return CType(results(0), String)<br />
        End Function<br />

The web method in the asmx file looks like the following.

<WebMethod()> Public Function ReturnValue() As String<br />
ReturnValue = "Value"<br />
     End Function<br />

All suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Jason W.

Re: Web Service Problem...

Jason Weibel8-Jul-03 8:39

Jason Weibel

8-Jul-03 8:39

Must define Credentials

<br />
Dim ws As New localhost.WebS()<br />
ws.Credentials = System.Net.CredentialCache.DefaultCredentials<br />

Jason W.

Search Xml

jphuphilly3-Jul-03 3:03

jphuphilly

3-Jul-03 3:03

im building a web page and i want to be able to search an xml file

please help
thanks Big Grin | :-D

Da Intern

Re: Search Xml

Not Active3-Jul-03 3:16

Not Active

3-Jul-03 3:16

You'll need to ask a more detailed question if you want help.

What do you need help with?

Re: Search Xml

jphuphilly3-Jul-03 7:21

jphuphilly

3-Jul-03 7:21

i have an xml file that a user creates and i want them to be able to search the whole xml file with a text box i am doing it in asp.net vb

if you could help me i would greatly appreicate it

Thanks Big Grin | :-D

Da Intern

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