Re: Applying XSL transformation to non-xml (but fixed

> But if you're writing a parser for a recursive language, then despite
> Dimitre's herculean efforts to demonstrate that it *can* be done in XSLT,

Well, it wasn't Herculean at all -- just a few free hours spent well
three years ago. It was just   *f u n*.

> I would agree that probably it *should not* be done in XSLT


Hmm... probably the next step would be to put in jail anyone who does
what "*should not* be done in XSLT"? I guess I have already earned my
life sentence.

Anyway, thanks. To be considered a modern witch, by not anyone else
but Michael Kay himself, is a huge recognition... :)

> Michael Kay

Dimitre Novatchev





On Wed, Jun 2, 2010 at 7:19 AM, Michael Kay <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On 02/06/2010 15:07, Ruud Grosmann wrote:
>>
>> Ruud Grosmann wrote:
>>>
>>> Christian Schouten wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> I need to apply an XSL transformation to a non-xml file that has a fixed
>>>> structure.
>>>> The goal is to read in the file, add/edit/delete a record and write it
>>>> back.
>>>
>>>
>>> hoi Christian,
>>>
>>> ik antwoord je even rechtstreeks, want ik vloek niet graag in de kerk (de
>>> xsl-gemeenschap). Mijn eerste reactie is de vraag waarom iemand een xml
tool
>>> zou willen gebruiken voor niet-xml-input. Waarom niet een simpel perl- of
>>> ruby-scriptje maken (of een andere taal naar keuze)?. Levert een fractie
op
>>> van de code die je anders nodig hebt. Bovendien gebruik je het juiste
>>> hulpmiddel voor de juiste taak.
>>>
>>> Heb je een reden dat je dat perse via xslt wilt?
>>>
>>> groeten, Ruud
>>>
>>
>> Sorry list,
>>
>> I meant to send this message off list to Christian, that's why it is not
>> in English.
>> Anyway, I suggested him to consider to use a tool like perl or ruby. Why
>> use an xml tool for non xml input?
>>
>
> Thanks, I enjoyed deciphering your mail and I think I got the gist of it.
> ("My first reaction is to ask why anyone an XML tool would want to use for
> non-XML-input..") The answer is that if it's simple structured data, XSLT
is
> quite capable of handling it, and the other capabilities of XSLT (pattern
> matching, XML output generation, etc) might well make it the most suitable
> tool. But if you're writing a parser for a recursive language, then despite
> Dimitre's herculean efforts to demonstrate that it *can* be done in XSLT, I
> would agree that probably it *should not* be done in XSLT, but instead
> should be pre-processed into XML using some other language.
>
> Michael Kay
> Saxonica
>
>



--
Cheers,
Dimitre Novatchev
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