Mouse Clicker in search of Key Pusher

[Mouse_Clicker]

Hello! I registered today and I am looking for information, comments, concerns, questions, examples, answers, suggestions, etc. Let me give you the run down. I am in the process of developing an XML-based program called EML. The EML stands for "Encyclopaedic Mark-up Language." Bascially it is going to contain XML used for different parts of each book. I am using a set of Britannica. I believe I want to start with a hierarchy. Now this hierarchy will be able to change as I add new parents, children, elements, attributes, nodes, etc. From what I know, I want to have different authors, ideas, topics, subjects, titles, pages, volumes etc. Eventually it will be used for any book. My question: Has anybody started on a DTD, XSD, or CCS document containing book information? I would like to see if somebody has an idea of using books for XML. I really like the idea of using XML for recipes, music, videos, books. If anyone want to share ideas with me, please respond.

[Charles]

It's called DocBook and it's widely used. Do a Google search and you will find a wealth of information about it.

[Mouse_Clicker]

When I save up enough for an XML validator, I hear that XML Spy is a great program; put out by Altova. It is in the range of $300-400, and covers DTD's and XSD's. Doc Book sounds great too, thanks for the tip.

It is true that the XML language is a very rigid one, but none the least, it covers where SGML and HTML left off. I prefer the XSD over the DTD for the fact that it gives more control over the information, content, and specifications. The greater detail requires a 100% error free code. I also agree that the web based validators (even by the W3C) are not as descriptive. Could it be, "You get what you pay for?"

Mouse-Clicker

[trumpcard]

This is gonna sound REALLY STUPID- but i'm a newbie, wat is xml?

[Mouse_Clicker]

I am assuming here that you know a little about HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language). If you are not familiar with HTML it is a better starting point than going right into XML. HTML is a derivative of SGML. SGML is actually the way programmers first started to create the web page you see before you.

That is not the question though. "What is XML?" XML is a way to organize information into a neat and precise order. Here is a simple example: You have a dining room table. This table comes in different "styles." The root element would be <table> then it would have different "children." First, this table could be made of wood, copper, steel, or glass. Now you have a table with 4 "children." Next, let's say this table can come with 3 legs or 4. There are 2 more "children." Thirdly, the dining room table comes in a rectangle, square, or circle shape. There is another 3 "children." Last, the table comes in different heights; 15 inches, 20 inches, 25 inches, or 30 inches. There are the last 4 "children," all consisting of what is simply called a dining room table.

XML can organize what seems to be just a table into an object with properties. This table now is more complex than just a place to sit and eat! I hope you see, with my example, why XML is really a good web language to learn.

[trumpcard]

Thanks. That example has given me a good idea about xml.

[Robert Wellock]

XML Spy 5.0 is probably considered the industry standard XML IDE, although it is overpriced for what it does.

Are you sure you mean "validator" and not a development tools since XML validation can be performed by very low cost XML Parsers.