Standards

XML 1.0 (Second edition)

XML 1.0 is a standard defined by a recommendation of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3, organization responsible for standardization for the Web). Though recent, one can say that XML 1.0 is already widely deployed.

In the immediate neighbourhoud of XML, there are other standards whose state is more or less advanced: XLS, XLL, XLT, XSLT...

General information on the activity of the W3 for XML, English:
^{http://www.w3.org/xml/}
Recommendation 06-October-2000, English :
^{http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml}
Recommendation 10-February-1998, English :
^{http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-xml-19980210}

The recommandation is available in French at the babel.alis.com Web site. Its introductory matter is general. The contents are technical.
^{http://babel.alis.com/web_ml/xml/REC-xml.fr.html}

XML Schemas

Recommandation published by the W3C on may 2nd 2001, XML schemas aims at specifying the syntaxe and the data types of an XML document.

The schema ancestor was the DTD (Document Type Definitions) XML schemas are more flexible and sophisticated ...

Recommandation of the W3C, English :
^{http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlschema-2/
Version in French : http://xmlfr.org/w3c/TR/xmlschema-0/}

Modularization of XHTML™ in the XML Schema.
W3C Working Draft August 15th 2002
^{http://www.w3.org/TR/2002/WD-xhtml-m12n-schema-20020815/}

XML Schemas explained, Website ESNIG Neuchatel (Switzerland) French :
^{http://zuse.esnig.cifom.ch/}

Website mutu-xml.org, the xml schema tutorial, French :
^{http://www.mutu-xml.org/xml-base/}

First resources

Initiation to XML

An article of Emmanuel Lazinier, "XML explained to the beginners" at the chez.com Web site. This French-speaking site proposes to popularize towards the French-speaking community all that relates to XML, described as "the language which will cause the second Internet revolution".

Site chez.com, French
^{http://www.chez.com/xml/initiation/index.htm}

XML for beginners

The Arnaud Petitjean Web site, which is no longer available, offered detailed technical comments examples in French.

ABCDOC offers good resources for beginners, in French.

Site abcdoc, French
^{http://editer.ladoc.net/index.php}

Another article by Emmanuel Lazinier explains XML to the beginner, step by step, in French. It is available at Developpeur.net.

Site developpeur.net, French
^{http://developpeur.net/xml/art/xfr1/ixfr1.htm}

A critical angle

From a technical but also critical angle, the D. Martin "Livre blanc" (Avril 1999). This white paper is well documented. It leads in particular to two issues: interoperability and databases.

D. Martin, retired consultant

The basis

The W3Schools Website proposes an XML TUTORIAL which enable an easy appropriation of the first basis.

W3Schools.com, English
^{http://www.w3schools.com/xml/default.asp}

FAQ francophone

The French-speaking FAQ of chez.com (answering the most frequently asked questions).

Site chez.com, French
^{http://www.chez.com/xml/faq/index.htm}

English-speaking FAQ

The very complete FAQ of the XML Working Group is maintained by contributors of the W3 XML Working Group.

Site xml.org, English
^{http://www.xml.org/xml/xmlfaq.shtml}

Site Textuality, English
^{http://www.textuality.com/xml/faq.html}

Database on XML

The SGML/XML Robin Cover's pages (the Web site is supported by OASIS, Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) represent a significant on line database, including reference material, data on softwares, a "What's new" column, a bibliography of approximately 2000 inputs ; on the whole, a collection of 2500 documents...

Site Oasis, English
^{http://www.oasis-open.org/cover/}

Some specific issues

Human resources

If you are interested in the management of human resources, we suggest that you have a look to the HR-XML structured methods Web site. The HR-XML consortium is an association, specialized in the development and the promotion of XML standardized vocabularies of human resources, targeting e-commerce transactions and automation of the data exchanges.

Site hr-xml, English
^{http://www.structuredmethods.com/hrxml/index.htm}

Professional information sourcing

The IBSI project, Improving Business Search on the Internet, relates to the development of a search engine based on XML and aiming at improving the search tools and the e-commerce applications for European SME. IBSI is a sub-project of program KITE, carried out by InfoConsult (Europe) and supported by the European Commission. The 1999 report in MS Word format is no longer available for download.

We can provide the report on demand.

XML-EDI

In you are interested in EDI, The EEMA EDI/EC Work Group proposed to CEFACT (Septembre 1998) to create a world repository for the translation of XML tags following the UN/EDIFACT rules and in natural langage as well. The site provides explanations and a demonstration.

Site EEMA / TIE, English :
^{http://www.tieglobal.com/}
Démo:
http://xml-edi.tie.nl/portal.htm

ebXML

At the joint initiative of UN/CEFACT and OASIS, the ebXML specification targets to allow enterprises of any size in any location to meet and conduct business through the exchange of xml-based messages.

ebXML.org site :
^{http://ebxml.org/}
Specification and White paper:
http://ebxml.org/specs/index.htm

Oasis, English :
Model and specification:
^{http://www.oasis-open.org/committees/regrep/}

Open Ebxml Project : English
An open source initiative with the goal to implement ebXML. Site offers information, mailing list, CVS access, downloads under Mozilla like license. Many sub projects within openebXML.
^{http://www.openebxml.org/}

About XQL

XML resources at the WebMethods Web site include a section dedicated to XQL (Xml Query Language). As proposed to the W3 (September 1998), XQL is described as a natural extension to the XSL syntax.

Site webmethods.com, English
^{http://www.webmethods.com/content/1,1107,XML,FF.html}

Site ibiblio.com, a brief tutorial in English
^{http://www.ibiblio.org/xql/xql-tutorial.html}

The XPL project

The "XPL open source" project attempts to create a framework in which XML documents would constitute the source code, would be treated by XSLT with a specific operational tree and would be accessible by a language or another.

Site vbxml, "XPL open source project", English
^{http://www.vbxml.com/xpl/}

Next page Part 3