IT Accessibility Committee XML as Content Management Presented by Michael B. Short May 11, 2006 Prepared by the NYS Forum IT Accessibility Committee

XML as Content Management Objective: the learner will state the accessibility advantage of using XML for content management Objective: the learner will state the accessibility advantage of using XML for content management

XML as Content Management A brief introduction to XML A brief introduction to XML How XML separates content from presentation How XML separates content from presentation Leveraging XML for accessible web sites Leveraging XML for accessible web sites

XML: an Introduction XML: XML: Extensible Markup Language Extensible Markup Language a tag-based language for describing the contents of documents a tag-based language for describing the contents of documents Two main flavors: Two main flavors: Pre-defined standards Pre-defined standards Self-defined grammars Self-defined grammars

XML: an Introduction Example Example Information Security Management Information Security Management Harold F. Tipton Harold F. Tipton Micki Krause Micki Krause <publisher>Auerbach</publisher><year>2000</year></book>

XML: an Introduction Consists of: Consists of: Elements (tags) Elements (tags) Attributes (similar to HTML) Attributes (similar to HTML) Must have: Must have: Root element Root element (book tag from the previous example) (book tag from the previous example)

XML: an Introduction <slide> XML: an Introduction XML: an Introduction </topic> </bullet></topic></slide>

XSLT Extensible Style sheet Language Translation Extensible Style sheet Language Translation XSL is XML XSL is XML Instructions for transforming XML into another form Instructions for transforming XML into another form Could be instructions from rendering a document in HTML Could be instructions from rendering a document in HTML Or perhaps PDF Or perhaps PDF Or virtually any other form Or virtually any other form

XSLT (Snippet) <ul> </ul></xsl:for-each>

How XML Solves Accessibility Issues One style sheet can be applied to a multitude of XML source documents One style sheet can be applied to a multitude of XML source documents More than one style sheet can be applied to the same source document More than one style sheet can be applied to the same source document

How XML Solves Accessibility Issues One style sheet can be applied to a multitude of XML source documents One style sheet can be applied to a multitude of XML source documents The style sheet can be constructed to render accessible, standard HTML The style sheet can be constructed to render accessible, standard HTML Once the style sheet is correct, any HTML document generated using the style sheet will be valid, standard and accessible Once the style sheet is correct, any HTML document generated using the style sheet will be valid, standard and accessible

XML can Separate Data from HTML When HTML is used to display data, the data is stored inside your HTML When HTML is used to display data, the data is stored inside your HTML With XML, your data is stored outside your HTML With XML, your data is stored outside your HTML

XML can Separate Data from HTML With XML, data can be stored in separate XML files With XML, data can be stored in separate XML files This way you can concentrate on using HTML for data layout and display, and be sure that changes in the underlying data will not require any changes to your HTML. This way you can concentrate on using HTML for data layout and display, and be sure that changes in the underlying data will not require any changes to your HTML.

XML can Separate Data from HTML XML data can also be stored inside HTML pages as "Data Islands". XML data can also be stored inside HTML pages as "Data Islands". You can still concentrate on using HTML only for formatting and displaying the data. You can still concentrate on using HTML only for formatting and displaying the data.

How XML Solves Accessibility Issues More than one style sheet can be applied to the same source document: More than one style sheet can be applied to the same source document: one style sheet to render HTML one style sheet to render HTML another style sheet to render PDF another style sheet to render PDF The same source document, guaranteeing the same content, can be used to generate more than one version for different uses The same source document, guaranteeing the same content, can be used to generate more than one version for different uses

How XML Solves Accessibility Issues Style sheets can be extended as new situations arise Style sheets can be extended as new situations arise Declare new tags to manage the new situation Declare new tags to manage the new situation Update the style sheet portfolio to render the new tags Update the style sheet portfolio to render the new tags Handle the situation once for each style sheet and all future documents meet the standard Handle the situation once for each style sheet and all future documents meet the standard

What happens today Modern browsers will perform the translation on the fly when the source document and style sheet are present Modern browsers will perform the translation on the fly when the source document and style sheet are present Older browsers display the source XML Older browsers display the source XML Thus, you cannot depend on client-side translation … yet Thus, you cannot depend on client-side translation … yet

Issues with Server-side XML XML requires a shift in thinking XML requires a shift in thinking Separation of content and presentation is pretty much complete Separation of content and presentation is pretty much complete Source documents must meet strict formatting requirements, requiring more discipline Source documents must meet strict formatting requirements, requiring more discipline Converting large sites requires a large effort Converting large sites requires a large effort