XML Demystified

xvi
• Insert data into an XML document
• Remove data from an XML document
• And much more.
XML Demystifi ed
XML confuses many who are familiar with managing data using a database. Both
a database and XML are used to manage data. However, XML is used to manage data
that doesn’t lend itself to a traditional database such as a legal document, a book, or
an insurance policy. It just isn’t easy to cram those into a formal database.
However, XML is perfect for managing that type of information because you can
create your own tags that describe parts of those documents. Best of all, there are
tools available that enable you to search and manipulate parts of an XML document
similar to how you use a database.
XML Demystified shows you how to define your own set of markup tags using
XML and how to use electronic tools to make an XML document a working part of
your business.
By the end of this book you’ll be able to make your own classy markup tags that
will leave even the sophisticated business manager in awe—and the IT department
left scratching their heads, asking: How did he do that?
A Look Inside
XML can be challenging to learn unless you follow the step-by-step approach that
is used in XML Demystified. Topics are presented in an order in which many
developers like to learn them—starting with basic components and then gradually
moving on to those features found on classy websites.
Each chapter follows a time-tested formula that first explains the topic in an
easy-to-read style and then shows how it is used in a working web page that you can
copy and load yourself. You can then compare your web page with the image of the
web page in the chapter to be assured that you’ve coded the web page correctly.
There is little room for you to go adrift.
Chapter 1: XML: An Inside Look
No doubt you heard a lot about XML since many in the business community see
XML as a revolutionary way to store, retrieve, and exchange information within a
firm and among business partners. The first chapter provides you with an overview
of XML before learning the nuts and bolts of applying XML to solve a real business
problem.