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| Below are answers to the most commonly asked questions about StyleVision® 2012, the powerful stylesheet designer and database reporting tool from Altova.
- What is StyleVision, and what does it do?
StyleVision is an intuitive, visual editing tool that allows developers, Web designers, and database administrators to transform XML, XBRL, and database data into eye-catching HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ (OOXML) documents. StyleVision also allows direct database reporting for creating HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ reports based on database data.
StyleVision provides support for designing Authentic eForms, which give business users a non-technical way to view and edit content stored in XML or databases using the word processor-like interface of Altova Authentic® 2012.
In addition to all this functionality, StyleVision allows you to convert HTML files to XML, an invaluable capability for organizations where most online content is stored in HTML.
Using StyleVision, developers create a visual design using drag-and-drop functionality and intelligent entry helpers. A single design automatically generates standards-conformant XSLT 1.0/2.0 and XSL:FO stylesheets, as well as output in HTML, RTF, PDF, Word 2007+, plus the associated Authentic eForm.
They can view and save all of these stylesheets and their corresponding output directly within StyleVision.
StyleVision gives designers the flexibility to design stylesheets based on XML Schemas, DTDs (Document Type Definitions), XBRL taxonomies, or relational databases, and one design can even incorporate data from multiple sources such as an XML file and a database.
The ability to generate database reports is a unique, time-saving feature that allows designers to generate attractive HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ documents – even if they’re not familiar with the underlying database technology.
Back to Top - Who is StyleVision used by?
StyleVision is used by developers, Web designers, and database administrators who need to design database reports, transform XML or database content to HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ (OOXML) formats, present financial information, or convert HTML to an XML format.
Developers know that writing XSLT 1.0/2.0 stylesheets to transform XML documents can be a complicated process that requires extensive experience with XSLT elements, XPath, and other related technologies. However, using the intuitive StyleVision design interface, you do not need to know XSLT to design a stylesheet. In addition, because StyleVision automatically creates XPath 1.0/2.0 selectors as you build your design, the occurrence of errors is greatly reduced. This opens the door for developers of all levels to create effective stylesheets and design database reports quickly and easily.
Back to Top - What are the benefits of using StyleVision?
The biggest benefit of StyleVision is its power to auto-generate standards-conformant XSLT 1.0/2.0 and XSL:FO stylesheets plus the associated Authentic eForm and HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ output – all based on one design!
This unified design approach allows your organization to implement true single source publishing, since one, easy-to-create design simultaneously produces HTML, RTF, PDF, Word 2007+, and electronic form output. When your XML, XBRL, and/or database source data changes, the HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ output can be updated simultaneously with the click of a button.
Authentic eForms are another unique benefit of using StyleVision. Each design created in StyleVision also produces an Authentic electronic form for use with Altova Authentic® 2012. Authentic is an XML and database content editor that allows non-technical business users to view and edit data in XML documents and relational databases - without being exposed to the underlying technology. They simply fill in Authentic eForms, and their content or query is automatically written to or run against an XML document or relational database behind the scenes.
In addition, because each design also simultaneously produces XSLT and XSL:FO stylesheets along with the Authentic eForm, users can output the data entered through the form directly to HTML, RTF, PDF, and Word 2007+ without the need for additional stylesheets.
Back to Top - Does StyleVision support CSS and JavaScript?
Yes. StyleVision supports both CSS and JavaScript for adding advanced styling and interactivity to HTML Web pages.
CSS (Cascading Stylesheets) is a stylesheet language for adding style and layout (presentation instructions) to HTML documents. CSS provides several advantages, including precise visual styling capabilities, cross-browser compatibility, the ability to make changes that affect multiple elements in a single step, and much more. In addition, since Web designers are already familiar with CSS, they will find the CSS support in StyleVision familiar as they work to transform XML and database data into attractive Web pages.
StyleVision also supports multiple CSS files in a single design, meaning that you can dynamically control the formatting of an entire design based on user input or other parameter (e.g., one CSS could be applied to a StyleVision-generated invoice when the due date is within 30 days and another CSS when the due date has passed).
JavaScript is a scripting language that adds interactivity to HTML Web pages. JavaScript code can, for example, detect the browser being used to view the page, change the appearance of a page (e.g., change an image upon mouseover), store and retrieve cookies on the user’s machine, validate data entered into forms, and more.
Support for CSS and JavaScript allows designers to create advanced, attention-grabbing HTML pages based on XML and database data quickly and easily.
Back to Top - Why is support for XSLT 2.0 and XPath 2.0 in StyleVision so important?
XSLT and XPath are the technologies used for stylesheet creation. XSLT 2.0 and XPath 2.0 represent an incredible improvement over their 1.0 versions, extending the languages with features that increase developer productivity, improve code quality and reusability, and provide powerful new functions.
The new features in version 2.0 are designed to make development simpler, more efficient, and therefore more productive, allowing your team to produce higher-quality applications in less time.
Altova’s commercial-grade implementation of these new standards allows developers to use industry’s most trusted XML product line to work with XSLT 2.0 and XPath 2.0 in a standards-based way to truly harness the power of the XML set of standards.
Back to Top - How does StyleVision fit in with other Altova products?
The Altova MissionKit® includes six highly-complementary tools for XML development: StyleVision, XMLSpy® 2012, MapForce® 2012, DiffDog® 2012, SemanticWorks® 2012, and SchemaAgent® 2012.
Altova XMLSpy® 2012 is the industry standard XML development environment for modeling, editing, debugging and transforming all XML technologies, then automatically generating runtime code in multiple programming languages. You can assign a StyleVision Power Stylesheet (SPS) to an XML document in XMLSpy to enable viewing and editing of that XML document in Authentic View.
Altova MapForce® 2012 is a powerful data integration and Web services implementation tool allows developers to design XML, database, flat file, EDI, Excel 2007+, XBRL, and Web services mappings visually through an intuitive user-interface. MapForce will allow you to preview/render XML Schema and XBRL components using an associated StyleVision design – target component data are previewed as HTML, RTF, PDF, or Word 2007+ documents.You can also use StyleVision to create a customized design for MapForce documentation.
Altova DiffDog® 2012 is an XML-aware file and directory differencing tool. This easy, powerful synchronization tool quickly compares source code or text-based files and any directories, then highlights differences in its visual interface. You can merge content with a click of the mouse or open and edit files and folders, then instantly re-compare.
Altova SemanticWorks® 2012 is a new, ground-breaking visual RDF/OWL editor for working with Semantic Web documents. Users can visually design Semantic Web instance documents, vocabularies, and ontologies then output them in either RDF/XML or N-triples formats.
Altova SchemaAgent® 2012 is a tool for modeling and managing advanced schemas and their components in enterprise workgroups. SchemaAgent allows developers and information architects to visualize XML Schema relationships and construct complex schemas from distributed schema elements via its graphical design view.
To make it easier to harness the power of these tools and meet all your XML development and data integration needs, Altova has created the Altova® MissionKit® 2012 to deliver the highest functionality at a considerable savings. Get up to 8 software tools for the price of 2 with the Altova® MissionKit® 2012! The MissionKit is an integrated suite of XML, database, and UML tools designed to meet the needs of software architects and XML developers. You can download a free 30 day trial of the MissionKit here.
Altova Authentic® 2012 is a content editor that allows business users to enter data directly into XML documents and databases without being exposed to the underlying technology. Users simply key in electronic forms using the word-processor style interface, and their content is instantly updated to the corresponding XML document or database.
Back to Top - How does StyleVision compare to other stylesheet design tools?
StyleVision offers several advantages when compared to other stylesheet design tools. Just a few are listed below.
- Ease-of-use
The unique drag-and-drop visual design interface of StyleVision helps developers create intricate, error-free stylesheets and output in multiple formats in minutes – a process that can take hours when performed manually. StyleVision also offers users a entirely different approach for designing stylesheets, by creating layout first and adding content later, similar to common desktop publishing applications.
- Productivity
StyleVision increases developer productivity significantly by automating the stylesheet and database report design process. StyleVision is the only tool that auto-generates XSLT 1.0/2.0 and XSL:FO stylesheets with HTML, RTF, PDF, Word 2007+, and electronic form output based on one design. This saves time and reduces the occurrence of errors.
- Power
StyleVision is the only tool that arms developers with the power to design transformation stylesheets for output to HTML, RTF, PDF, Word 2007+, and Authentic eForms, convert HTML to XML, and render XBRL and/or database data into eye-catching HTML pages, RTF documents, PDF reports, and Word 2007+ (OOXML).
- Standards-conformance
StyleVision includes full compliance with XML-related standards including XML Schema, XSLT 1.0 and 2.0, XPath 1.0 and 2.0, CSS, and others. In addition, each design created in StyleVision produces standards-conformant XSLT and XSL:FO stylesheets that can be viewed and saved separately from the design at any time.
- Lineage
StyleVision is developed by the makers of the industry-leading XMLSpy® 2012 and MapForce® 2012 products, which all share the same powerful yet intuitive user interface.
- Support
All Altova products are backed by Altova’s customer-focused support organization and a comprehensive Support and Maintenance Package that covers all major software upgrades and maintenance releases.
Back to Top
Visit the Business Managers’ Page for more information about the technological and business benefits of XML and Altova products.
You can download a free 30-day trial of StyleVision® 2012 here.
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