Re: free XMLSpy version and xalan

On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 15:47:01 -0500, Wendell Piez <wapiez@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

If I'm not a Java programmer, but I run Java routines (either to test
things in Xalan or for a multitude of other purposes), would it be a
good idea for me to ungrade from 1.4.2 to 5.0?

How will this change the issues relating to Xalan in Java?

Probably the biggest change is that JDK 5.0 has the XSLTC compiler built
in.  You can run it from the command line as you would Xalan, and also
access it programmatically via the JAXP/TraX API.  It can compile your
XSLT (1.0) stylesheets on the fly, or you can compile them in advance and
have it use the compiled versions at run-time.

Much easier than writing the equivalent Java for XML -> XML processing,
that's for sure.  That said, let me add that I still spend more time using
Saxon (http://www.saxonica.com/).  I've started using a handful of XSLT
2.0 & XPath 2.0 features, and that handful has made a noticeable
improvement to my productivity in terms of how long it takes to code a
complex transformation.  (1) Sequences and (2) data typing of variables
and template results are a big win for me, and can reduce processing time
just becaise tjeu reduce the number of stages that you need to code (I
always prefer layered XSLT transformations to trying to code the one
single unmaintainable stylesheet from hell).

	Cheers,
		Tony.
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