1. Hope Greenberg Center for Teaching & Learning
XML Basics
Hope Greenberg
Center for Teaching & Learning

2. XML: What, Why, When and How
What is HTML?
A set of markup tags for encoding elements of web documents.
Encoding is the addition of codes to text in order to make it possible for a computer to process that text.
Interpretation of elements is built into a web browser, helped by CSS.
Presentational (sort of) not semantic.
Looks like:
<p>Hello world.</p>
<p class=“green”>Hello world.</p>

3. What is XML? A markup language for describing structured documents.
XML: What, Why, When and How
What is XML?
A markup language for describing structured documents.
Allows for creation of elements based on need.
Designed to be semantic (meaning is separate from presentation).
Looks like:
<p>Hello world.</p>
But can also look like:
<para>Hello world.</para>

4. What is the TEI? Text Encoding Initiative founded in 1987.
XML: What, Why, When and How
What is the TEI?
Text Encoding Initiative founded in 1987.
Guidelines for encoding machine-readable texts in the humanities and social sciences.
Includes standardized ways to mark up a document’s semantics.

5. Why use the TEI? With HTML you could do this:
XML: What, Why, When and How
Why use the TEI?
With HTML you could do this:
<p>Enter KING.</p>
<p>Queen.</p>
<p> Alas, look here, my lord.</p>
<p> Ophelia speaks </p>
<p> Oph.</p>
<p>Song.</p>
<p>Larded all with sweet flowers,</p>

6. Why use the TEI? With CSS you could add some classification:
XML: What, Why, When and How
Why use the TEI?
With CSS you could add some classification:
<p.stage>Enter KING.</p>
<p.speaker>Queen.</p>
<p.speech> Alas, look here, my lord.</p>
<p.stage> Ophelia speaks </p>
and then tell the CSS to make each class LOOK different.

7. Why use the TEI? <stage>Enter KING.</stage>
XML: What, Why, When and How
Why use the TEI?
<stage>Enter KING.</stage>
<sp who="Queen” type=“female”>
<speaker >Queen.</speaker>
<l n="37" part="Y"> Alas, look here, my lord.</l>
</sp>
<sp who="Oph” type=“female”>
<speaker>Ophelia</speaker>
<stage>Song. </stage>
<l n="38"> Larded all with sweet flowers,</l>

8. Extracting the Information
XML: What, Why, When and How
Extracting the Information
For all speeches where type=“female” list speaker and speech
For all speeches where type=“Queen” list by line number
Select and print all stage directions by act and scene

9. XML: The Pieces XML: What, Why, When and How css web xhtml.xsl XML
File
print.xsl
mobil.xsl
Mobil
device
Schema/DTD
Parser

10. XML File: The Pieces Declaration (what am I?)
XML: What, Why, When and How
XML File: The Pieces
Declaration (what am I?)
Processing Instructions (what will you do with me?)
Elements (what am I made of?)
(tag, attributes, content: PCDATA)
Entities (what else do we need?)
Character, files,
Comments (secret messages)
CDATA (just like this or else…)

11. XML File: The Pieces Declaration Processing instruction
XML: What, Why, When and How
XML File: The Pieces
Declaration
<?xml version=“1.0” encoding=“UTF-16” standalone=“yes”>
Processing instruction
<?xml-stylesheet href=“classic.xsl” type=“text/xml”?>

12. XML File: The Pieces Elements <p>Hello World!</p>
XML: What, Why, When and How
XML File: The Pieces
Elements
(tag, attributes, content: PCDATA)
<p>Hello World!</p>
<p type=“cliched”>Hello World!</p>
Entities
Character
& & &
Text or other: external
<!ENTITY lady SYSTEM “ NDATA jpeg><figure entity=“lady”></figure>

13. XML File: Some Rules XML documents use a self-describing syntax.
XML: What, Why, When and How
XML File: Some Rules
XML documents use a self-describing syntax.
XML tags are case sensitive.
All XML elements must have a closing tag.
All XML elements must be properly nested.
All XML documents must have a root element.
Attribute values must always be quoted.