Re: FN-FORUM (X)html and css?

date posted 8th January 2003 17:19

I sent this earlier but no sign of it. Was it just me?

If you build HTML to be well-formed XML then it gives you more flexibility
in the future. On the Cheltenham and Gloucester consumer site the code is
published into HTML files from XML using some XSL stylesheets. These also
have pieces of XML in them which we use for the search engine on the site -
we can tell the search engine only to look at the content text so things
like 'Fixed rate mortgage' in the navigation don't show up as a result for
every page.

Also, ff your HTML is acceptable to an XML parser then you can use XSL again
to transform it into new formats (WML, pdf), or write an automated procedure
at some point in the future to extract all of the content but leave the
common page elements behind.... You never know when it might be needed, but
in the past I've been glad I did it that way.

That's not the same thing as XHTML, of course.

Karl

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andy Macnaughton-Jones" [EMAIL REMOVED]
To: [EMAIL REMOVED]
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 12:29 PM
Subject: RE: FN-FORUM (X)html and css?


> Out of interest, if you create XHTML and create some new tags - what
> purpose do they serve (on the browser) if the browser doesn't recognise
> them ? I understand (an implement) well formed HTML, but I can't quite
> see how XML fits into an HTML document. An example (as ever) would be
> most useful.
>
> And isn't using XSLT and a separate CSS for positional layout a bit of
> overkill ? I use the CSS for the style of the items, but then use the
> XSLT to actually define where things are placed - or again, have I
> missed something!
>
> Cheers
> Andy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lists [EMAIL REMOVED]
> Sent: 08 January 2003 11:52
> To: [EMAIL REMOVED]
> Subject: Re: FN-FORUM (X)html and css?
>
>
> With XML you get to write your own DTD (or schema these days), so you
> can invent your own elements, attributes and valid values for them. No
> more invalid code! I wrote my first DTD in Pizza Hut on a paper
> napkin...
>
> Seriously, though, it's not really a case of instead of. XML and other
> SGML thingies have been used by tech writers for ages to describe and
> mark up data. XML marks out the structure of the document, but not its
> layout, for example, a contact card might have a name block containing a
> title, first name and last name, an address block containing three
> address lines and a postcode, and a phone number. Doesn't matter how you
> lay them out, the structure - what sections there are and what things
> are children of what other things etc - stays the same.
>
> You could use XML as a way of storing/describing a page structure (or
> even a site structure) so that the XML data could be re-written as HTML,
> RTF, Word etc as the situation demands.
>
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> Kathy
> http://www.vendetta.co.uk
> DNRC Minister for Useful but Irritating Information and Trivia
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "PAMELA WHITTAKER" [EMAIL REMOVED]
> To: [EMAIL REMOVED]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 11:27 AM
> Subject: Re: FN-FORUM (X)html and css?
>
>
> > I am reading up on XML while I am waiting for my next bit of work and
> > at
> the
> > moment I can't get my head round why one would use it instead of HTML.
>
> > I could do with some enlightenment.
> >
> >
> > Pam
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Pete Martin" [EMAIL REMOVED]
> > To: [EMAIL REMOVED]
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 11:02 AM
> > Subject: FN-FORUM (X)html and css?
> >
> >
> > > At the risk of starting a heated discussion, I need a little help
> > > and possibly some advice. I am trying to figure out which is the
> > > 'right' technology for creating some web pages for use as part of a
> > > software project. The pages will be used to view/manage some UNIX
> > > servers that
> are
> > > doing clever things with digital TV. Now, IMHO keeping
> > > represetnation
> and
> > > presentation has always been a good idea, so using XML and some kind
>
> > > of style sheet is appealing. I am just concerned that:
> > > 1) it might break with todays (and more likely yesterdays) browsers,
>
> > > and
> > > 2) I will get laughed at for missing some important new technology.
> > >
> > > In particular, what do others think about using XML and XSLT in:
> > > a) a closed and therefore controlled environment where I can
> > > stipulate
> > which
> > > browser is used (mozilla 1.1 and ie6)
> > >
> > > and
> > >
> > > b) an open to the public environment where (possibly) any browser
> > > will
> be
> > in
> > > use, though most likely IE5/6 I guess.
> > >
> > > In the latter case would XHTML and CSS be a better bet? Most of the
> > > information will already be XML and can be presented in the order in
> which
> > > it appears in the XML file.
> > > My current thoughts are to use XML, XSLT and process the files into
> XHTML
> > on
> > > the server.
> > >
> > > On a related note, I would be interested in peoples views on the use
>
> > > of frames for controlling layout on a page. When I used them before
> > > (many
> > years
> > > ago) there were sharp intakes of breath and I was told that frames
> > > are
> > crap
> > > and should not be used. I reverted to misusing table instead.
> > >
> > > Pete
> > >
> > >
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