XML: Problem - Design - Solution

• Offering a unique approach to learning XML, this book walks readers through the process of building a complete, functional, end-to-end XML solution
• Featured case study is an online business product catalog that includes reports, data input/output, workflow, stylesheet formatting, RSS feeds, and integration with external services like Google, eBay, and Amazon
• The format of presenting a problem and working through the design to come up with a solution enables readers to understand how XML markup allows a business to share data across applications internally or with partners or customers even though they might not use the same applications

This nuts-and-bolts guide shows you the power of XML by presenting an enterprise application problem that you''ll design a program to solve throughout the book. Each chapter takes one part of the featured project and leads you through the design of its solution. The team of experienced authors gradually walks you through sections of increasing depth, each one developing a more advanced treatment of XML than the previous.

You''ll learn various resolutions to common business and technology needs that are best solved using XML. Plus, you''ll get under the hood of everyday applications and web services and discover how to tackle XML markup. By the end of the book, you will understand how to leverage XML applications in order to build a complete, functional, end-to-end XML solution.

What you will learn from this book

• How to share XML data with both internal and external users
• Ways to style XML so that it can be used for browser presentation
• Techniques for converting XML content online using XSLT, the XML transformation language
• How to search, merge, and transform XML documents
• Strategies for designing enterprise solutions using XML, workflow engines, and business process management systems
• How to create PDF output and produce RSS feeds

Who this book is for

This book is for programmers new to XML who want to grasp the concepts of XML markup and understand the diversity of its potential uses.

Wrox Problem - Design - Solution gives you solid, workable solutions to real-world development problems. Each chapter is devoted to a single application, analyzing every problem, examining relevant design issues, and implementing the ideal solution.

Mitch Amiano began his career developing process automation applications for small businesses. Quietly using markup languages since 1994, and database management systems since 1989, Mitch has worked in process/quality teams and advanced tool departments at Fortune 500 companies, as well as consulting to small and medium-sized businesses. In 2003, Mitch founded Agile Markup Corporation where he provides XML and open source training and development services. In his spare time, Mitch plays with number theory and edible landscaping. He also serves on his town's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, of which he was 2005 Chair.

Conrad D'Cruz, an independent consultant with more than 14 years' experience, loves to work in the area where business meets technology. He is active in the technology and business users' groups in the Research Triangle Park area of North Carolina. He was contributing author for Enterprise Integration Patterns: Designing, Building, and Deploying Messaging Solutions and coauthored Cocoon 2 Programming: Web Publishing with XML and Java. When he is not working, he can be found at the controls of a light aircraft exercising the privileges of his private pilot's certificate or participating in search and rescue exercises with the U.S. Civil Air Patrol.

Kay Ethier is an Adobe Certified Expert in FrameMaker with long experience in structured document publishing with SGML and XML. She is also a certified trainer with WebWorks University. Kay instructs in XML and other training classes, consults, and provides hotline support for clients in a variety of industries. In 2001, Kay coauthored the book XMLWeekend Crash Course. That same year, she was technical editor for GoLive 6 Magic. In 2004, Kay was a contributing author for Advanced FrameMaker, and sole author of XML and FrameMaker. Her most recent collaboration was on a Korean-English book, Learning Korean: Martial Arts Terminology.

Michael D. Thomas is a technical architect with SAS. He has authored two other books, Java Programming for the Internet and Oracle XSQL. He is a frequent conference speaker on XML, Java, and web services topics. Throughout his career, he has designed and implemented enterprise-class web-based systems. While working at IBM, he was one of the youngest people to ever receive an Outstanding Technical Achievement Award, due in part to his work with web services.