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[XML-DEV Mailing List Archive Home] [By Thread] [By Date] [Recent Entries] [Reply To This Message] Re: advocating XML
 Paul T wrote - > Now if you map the A.xml into *regex*line*oriented* file, I bet > you be surprised how *trivial* the overall task becomes if doing > it in python or perl or any other scripting language that inherits > from UNIX. > When I started working with xml files, I used scripts with REs, and I tried to keep my files line-oriented as well. Of course, I used functions and methods to produce the output, usually html. I tried to avoid stylesheets and parsers. I thought I didn't need them and they were too complicated. After awhile, I noticed that it was getting harder and harder as my xml tasks became more complex. I had to keep track of a lot of context, and the REs were harder to get working right. I also noticed that that it was getting really hard to change the html output and make sure it was right. Then I tried writing simple little parsers, both with REs and without. I knew they wouldn't work for general xml files, but I said to myself that I would mostly work with my own files anyway, and I could make sure I didn't use the more complicated features, especially DTD-related stuff. That was OK for a little while, then I realized that 1) this wasn't all that fast, and 2) I was using other people's xml more, and 3) I started wanting to use more of those features I had disdained before. (Len Bullard must be loving this, it's like a recapitulation of 10 years of markup history!) That's when I started using "real" parsers. I also started using stylesheets. At each step of the way, I got more reliable results that were easier to develop and change and extend, and I could handle a larger range of documents and problems. Any, yes, there are still times where the three lines of REs are really good. Now, I haven't tried to use xslt to maintain large and complex web site for long periods of time, so I can't say how they scale for those purposes. But I'm quite sure that trying to maintain such a site with (the old classic) perl scripts, for example, can be a real bear. I have a few Cold Fusion sites, too - it's very good, especially for displaying data from databases. So I don't say xml/xslt is the one answer for everything. Cheers, Tom P 
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