Xpath and Xpointer

by Simpson, John E.

• ISBN13: 9780596002916
• ISBN10: 0596002912
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-08-01
• Publisher: Oreilly & Associates Inc

Summary

This hands-on book fills an essential need for XML developers by dealing with a topic that has been addressed inadequately up until now. Written by an author with a considerable amount of XML experience, Xpath and Xpointer offers practical knowledge on the two languages that underpin XML, XSLT, and Xlink. By referencing parts of documents, both Xpath and Xpointer play a key role in XML processing, allowing developers to manipulate embedded information. This book is packed with examples that demonstrate exactly how to use Xpath in different situations, showing developers a clear path for working with XML documents.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Introducing XPath and XPointer	1	(10)
Why XPath and XPointer?	1	(1)
Antecedents/History	2	(4)
XPath, XPointer, and Other XML-Related Specs	6	(2)
XPath and XPointer Versus XQuery	8	(3)
XPath Basics	11	(25)
The Node Tree: An Introduction	11	(2)
XPath Expressions	13	(5)
XPath Data Types	18	(3)
Nodes and Node-Sets	21	(10)
Node-Set Context	31	(2)
String-Values	33	(3)
Location Steps and Paths	36	(21)
XPath Expressions	36	(2)
Location Paths	38	(3)
Location Steps	41	(15)
Compound Location Paths Revisited	56	(1)
XPath Functions and Numeric Operators	57	(29)
Introduction to Functions	57	(2)
XPath Function Types	59	(25)
XPath Numeric Operators	84	(2)
XPath in Action	86	(27)
XPath Visualiser: Some Background	86	(3)
Sample XML Document	89	(1)
General to Specific, Common to Far-Out	89	(24)
XPath 2.0	113	(18)
General Goals	113	(4)
Specific Requirements	117	(14)
XPointer Background	131	(12)
XPointer and Media types	132	(1)
Some Definitions	133	(4)
The Framework	137	(1)
Error Types	137	(1)
Encoding and Escaping Characters in XPointer	138	(5)
XPointer Syntax	143	(11)
Shorthand Pointers	143	(1)
Scheme-Based XPointer Syntax	144	(9)
Using XPointers in a URI	153	(1)
XPointer Beyond XPath	154	(23)
Why Extend XPath?	154	(1)
Points and Ranges	155	(9)
XPointer Extensions to Document Order	164	(4)
XPointer Functions	168	(9)
Extension Functions for XPath in XSLT	177	(12)
Index	189