DDR (2): Convert XML DDR to human-readable format?

November 13, 200421 yr

Is anyone aware of a way to convert the XML format of the Database Design Report to a format humans can read more easily? I'm an absolute beginner in XML/XSL/etc. so the greatest detail possible would be appreciated.

I'd like to see those report because the docs say they have more details than the HTML version. But what an ungainly bear to try and read! With all those visible tags and technical formatting, it doesn't look like something that was intended for humans to read directly. Any advice?

From what little I know, an XSL style sheet should somehow be able to convert it, but I couldn't find anything on the web that seemed like it might do the trick (and even if I had found one, I probably wouldn't have known how to use it.) Can anyone suggest something, along those or any other lines?

Thanks,

Mike

November 13, 200421 yr

You would need to create your own XSLT stylesheet to extract the data you want to see. You could start with the XSLT that produces the HTML report and add to it.

But you do need to learn XSLT before you can start doing this. It's not that hard and it is a good skill set to have.

November 13, 200421 yr

Hi, Mike. May i recommend, instead of converting the XML to a human-readable format, converting the human to an XML-understanding version?

I'm not being a smart-a$$ (well, maybe i am, a little), it's just that i've found that once you get to know XML, it can be almost as easy to read as English. It looks daunting at first, but starting with the simple examples, you'll quickly become able to interpret it fairly rapidly.

IMHO, one of the beauties of the XML standard is that it combines the structure of a programming language with the readability of a regular human language.

HTH,

Jerry

November 15, 200421 yr

Author

Thanks for the responses. I've already recognized that learning XML/XSLT has become essential, although I had hoped to put it off until I had more free time... looks like it just got moved up in the Things To Do list. Thanks for your input.

Later thought: Is there a particularly good reference for XML/XSLT for me to learn from that anyone can point me to?