XSLT Programmer's Reference 2nd Edition

I have read numerous texts on XML, some of which refer to XSLT in a passing way. This is the first book that fully documents and explains the usage of XSLT Most other texts rely on a single example to illustrate their message. Which is fine unless the example has nothing to do with your real life problem. Michael Kay takes the more difficult path of describing the subject through the use of abstract ideas, thereby applying the explanation to a wider realm of experience. The book is structured in a manner that I wish more authors would follow. The first part, chapters 1-3 explain the concepts of the XSLT language. This part, although challenging, is worth reading closely. Ample examples elucidate the concepts presented. Chapters 4-7 are a reference on the language itself. The information is precise and all encompassing. Chapters 8-10 present examples of using the language in real world situations, or as Kay states: "developing real industrial applications." If there is a fault to find, it would lie in the presentation of the XSLT products in chapter 10. A more in-depth description of the usage of Xalan, for example, would have been greatly appreciated. At the present time, to use this product you are armed with the API and that's about it. Getting a process up and running is still a challenge. But, given the state of the industry, it's not surprising that this area was not more fleshed out. In summation, I can only agree with the previous reviews and state that this is THE reference to have on XSLT.

The well-balanced blend of highly technical details, precise and carefully crafted examples are made very agreeable by Michael Kay's outstanding writing style. No fluff, nor arcane technical hocus-pocus that leaves the reader dazzed and kerflumoxed. Althought this book is not a tutorial, I found it highly motivating for self-teaching.The first 3 chapters explains a) what is XSLT b)how it works c)what makes it works (structure). It guides you clearly, in detail, trouhgt this crucial first example ("Greetings") so you're not stuck wondering HOW to make this stuff work. Explanations are to the point, and crucial relationships are put in context without verbosis.Chapters 4 to 7 is the Reference section, the nitty-gritty details of each feature of XSLT. That'll help a lot when trying to fly on your own. This is followed by "Worked Examples" again beautifully explained.Then, the tools. Not a mere URL reference to "Download this and you'll do just fine, mate!" but a hands-on guide to the nuts and bolts of each of them. Very helpful!I read 7 books so far on XML/XSL. Kay's book is the gem that stands out way above from the crowd. A winner!

This is a truly outstanding book. Of the very many computer books I have read, this is one of the top 5. As other reviews have correctly stated, this is neither a tutorial nor an introductory text. But if you have been working with XML/XSL for even a little while, the dearth of complete and accurate documentation becomes onerous. I have spent untold hours experimenting with variations of syntax to get the desired results, never really understanding what I was doing. After reading this book, so many of the mysteries and black magic incantations I had built developed now become clear.This is a deeply detailed reference book, and it is very much written from the perspective of an author of an XSLT parser. You get innumerable details about all sorts of arcana. But once you get beyond some very simple stylesheets, I have found that you often need this kind of detail to help you understand exactly what is going on. The heavy slogging thru the material is greatly aided by Mr. Kay's refreshing writing style. He completely avoids the fluff, illiteracy, or arrogance so common in technical writing. His language is precise, yet easy to read. Most commendable are his examples. Rather than the trivial, artificial or non-sensical example we often see, each example here (and there are LOTS of them) is well-crafted, well-explained, and relevant to a real-world task.Another astounding fact is the relative sparseness of typos and errors. As an author myself, I know that computer publishers rush to print with all sorts of egregious errors that are very disruptive. Although I did encounter a very few errors in this book, Mr. Kay and Wrox are to be commended highly for a very professional first edition.A monumental writing job, excellently done. This belongs on the bookshelf of anyone who is seriously involved in XSL work.

This is a great book. It's loaded with examples, it is comprehensive in its coverage, and it conveys both the practical and philosophical aspects of this huge new revolution known as XML. The author has a wonderful explanation of how XSL was designed to not include an assignment operator. This is not the work of some dope just trying to waste paper and catch a ride on the latest wave.The beware is that the author recommends his own XSLT processor (Saxon). It is good and I would encourage people to use it, but it does some really stupid things that could drive you crazy. For instance, if one of the files you stipulate on the command line cannot be found, it doesn't tell you that, it just throws the filename up on the screen instead of the output. Likewise, if you leave the tag open, it will just say 'error processing stylesheet no more input'. These are but two examples. We also found that his implementation of the crucial document function doesn't work in his Java code, where the Apache projects did. It's a shame these kinds of things are in here because XSLT allows you to very quickly perform some incredibly sophisticated feats without killing yourself. Definitely buy, just proceed with caution once you start working with it.

1. This is really a reference, not a tutorial. It does include a "no nonsense tutorial" which will guide you through the basic XSLT topics, but if you have no XML experience, start with one of the more basic Wrox offerings. (David Hunter's Beginning XML -- which I hear will be excellent -- is going to be released by Wrox early in June.)2. If you are unclear on the purposes of XSLT, understand that it is a programming language for converting data, performing scripting tasks, etc. on the way to a pure HTML or XML layout. I only mention this because some developers seem to be operating under the mistaken belief that XSLT is an appropriate subject for graphic designers, perhaps because XSLT contains the word "style." Do NOT get this book for your design staff.3. Not a major hurdle for most of us, but some implementations, such as Xalan, are not covered.That aside, this is a fantastic book. Everything I can think of in the XSL arena is covered, including extending XSL. The author, Michael Kay, who was such a force on the Professional XML team, once again proves to be an excellent writer. The browser specific details are just what I needed to solve many of my real-world production problems. And I continue to be amazed at the speed with which Wrox gets these comprehensive volumes to press.