Amazon.com
Even hot dog Web coders proficient in XML need a little refresher once and a while. Although some portions of XML are still very fluid, the handy XML Pocket Reference offers quick access to the syntax and usage rules of this next-generation language.

At the front of the book, a crash course in XML quickly spells out the important terminology, along with extremely short examples of XML, Document Type Definition (DTD), and Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) documents. The book also includes a nice bulleted list of cautions and rules to follow if you want to create valid XML documents. A tip section entitled, "Unlearning Bad Habits" offers handy warnings that are especially useful for those of us who occasionally slip into sloppy HTML coding behaviors that XML won't tolerate.

The remainder of the title comprises reference sections devoted to XML, DTDs, XSL, XLink, and XPointer. These sections offer a balanced mix of both straight syntax references and brief general explanations of key topics. Short examples are in abundance to illustrate usage with accompanying explanatory text. The authors are very up-front about the changing nature of the XSL, XLink, and XPointer and point out that even their freshly published material on these subjects may soon be out of date.

You won't find any big-picture look at the importance or implementation of XML in the real world. However, if you're already sold on the technology and working with it, this little guide will be a handy companion. --Stephen W Plain

Topics covered: XML overview, well-formed XML rules, using elements and attributes, syntax and usage reference to XML, DTD, XSL, XLink, XPointer.
Book Description
XML, the Extensible Markup Language, is the next-generation markup language for the Web. It provides a more structured (and therefore more powerful) medium than HTML, allowing you to define new document types and stylesheets as needed. Although the generic tags of HTML are sufficient for everyday text, XML gives you a way to add rich, well-defined markup to electronic documents.

The XML Pocket Reference is both a handy introduction to XML terminology and syntax, and a quick reference to XML instructions, attributes, entities, and datatypes. Although XML itself is complex, its basic concepts are simple. This small book combines a perfect tutorial for learning the basics of XML with a reference to the XML and XSL specifications. The new edition introduces information on XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) and Xpath.

	Introduction	1
	XML Terminology	2
	Unlearning Bad Habits	3
	An Overview of an XML Document	5
	A Simple XML Document	5
	A Simple Document Type Definition (DTD)	9
	A Simple XSL Stylesheet	10
	XML Reference	13
	Well-Formed XML	14
	Special Markup	14
	Element and Attribute Rules	17
	XML Reserved Attributes	19
	Entity and Character References	20
	Document Type Definitions	21
	Element Declarations	22
	ANY and PCDATA	22
	Entities	26
	Attribute Declarations in the DTD	29
	Included and Ignored Sections	34
	The Extensible Stylesheet Language	37
	Formatting Objects	38
	XSLT Stylesheet Structure	39
	Templates and Patterns	40
	Parameters and Variables	43
	Stylesheet Import and Rules of Precedence	44
	Loops and Tests	45
	Numbering Elements	46
	Output Method	47
	XSLT Elements	48
	XPath	70
	Axes	73
	Predicates	74
	Functions	76
	Additional XSLT Functions and Types	79
	Xpointer and XLink	81
	Unique Identifiers	81
	ID References	82
	Xpointer	83
	XLink	87
	Building Extended Links	90
	XBase	96