RE: appropriate use of xsl?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
> rhodespc@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: 22 August 2002 19:42
> To: xsl-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject:  appropriate use of xsl?
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> I am struggling with how to solve this problem. I am wondering if I am
> using xsl as my one and only hammer.
>
> I have n number of tables, that are all very similar, but in some way
> different.  Column names may mismatch.  The date in one table me be in
> mm/dd/yyyy, while another may be in yyyy/mm/dd.

ok, but i get worried when you talk about data from the display point of
view...continue

> I need to display the union of these tables in a homogenous way.  That is
> if I have a column called "order date", i need to display
> table1.order_date and table2.orderdate, and in a consistent date format.

so you want to merge data sets.....

http://www.exslt.org/set/index.html

or take a look at some of the techniques at http://www.topxml.com

> One idea I had was to define one standard dtd that would be the format I
> would pass to my application.  I would create an xml file for each
> different format, and to define how each attribute would map to the
> standard defined in a dtd.  I would use xsl to do the transformation to
> the standard format, and to do the data conversion...




>
> Summary:
> 1) convert the jdbc resultset to an xml file

why not use the cool castor tool which helps you marshall data to and fro
JDBC
nice article here
http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2002/07/24/databinding.html
> 2) create dtd for the common xml file format
> 3) create a xsl file for each of the distinct formats that I encounter to
> transform them to the common format


well, I am slightly confused at what u are doing, but will attempt;

- why not merge your data in the 'ahem' data layer using SQL ?
- yes creating a DTD or XML schema is always recc., but do this at the end,
when you know your format, you are not required to do this during
development !
- think of how you want to organise your *data* not your tables......first,
then create an xslt file with a load of sub templates that will handle every
unique situation...u could have different xslt files...but not necc

if u include a sample of your xml and desired output will attempt to help
further

gl, jim fuller



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