Edit XML in XLS browsing mode?

[lassef]

Hi everyone!

For the time being, I'm editing a lot of XML files. I have an XSL file which I can assign the XML files, for a better easier view (called browser view in many editors).

I want to edit the "view" directly (affecting the xml file) as it would be a lot easier and faster to do so.

Do you know of a trick doing this, instead of getting down and dirty with the XML files?

Regards
Lasse

[Charles]

You might check if Amaya supports XSLT.

[lassef]

Does this program do the "trick"? How do you use this program for the purpose I described?

[jkmyoung]

--edit
I've yet to see any application do this, and find it unlikely that one will do so in the near future.

[lassef]

Currently, due to lack of options, I'm opening the same XML file in 2 tabs. One in xml edit mode, and one in browsing mode connected with an XSLT file.

I'm having a hard time believing that this is an impossibility due to current technology.

If you can read/view an xml file through an XSLT file in a browser, and you can edit the XML file directly in an editor - then I cant see why you shouldn't be able to edit the file through the XSLT file in some XML editor?

[Charles]

Did you bother to try Amaya?

[jkmyoung]

Timed out on my edit.
The program would need to:
1. Set memory locations for each of the source nodes.
2. Carefully track everywhere in the output where the source nodes has been output, or the output is dependent.
3. Only use simple xpaths, eg no string functions and such.
4. This leaves us with an output of nodes and pointers to nodes. When changing a node in the output, there would be a link to the source xml accordingly.

I've yet to see a program do this, but would love to see it happen. It'd probably be a memory hog, but would definitely be worth it for less technically inclined people, or situations where the xml was large and quite complex. eg, it'd be like html:dreamweaver, with xml/xslt.

If you're going to write a program to do this I would be very pleased. I would recommend using a VTD parsing style in order to do this. Since the restrictions to input are so high, I can see why most people would not attempt to do build an app in this way.

Why you wouldn't be allowed string functions. If path was substring(.,1,4) and you typed in 'abcde' for the end value, it wouldn't work.

[lassef]

Just thought that if you're able to view an XML through XSLT, you'd also be able to edit the XML through the XSLT view.

But with your insight, perhaps my take on the issue was rather simplistic.

[lassef]

Did you bother to try Amaya?

Yes I did, sorry for the lack of feedback.

The pros for Amaya is that you just open the XML file directly, and somehow the program presents the XML in a way that is easily read. Also this view allows for direct editing. And thats without an XSLT file attached.

However my method of progress at this time is to just use XML Notepad, and switch between grid view and XSLT view.

I look at the XSLT view, then copy the data I want to edit to clipboard, then search in grid view and edit the data.