StyleVision Archives

Posts

XML Reports to Text

December 14, 2021/in XBRL, XML, XSL /by Erin Cavanaugh

Creating business reports from data stored in XML and relational databases is a common requirement in most organizations. However, it’s often complicated by the need to have information available in both web formats and print-ready formats such as PDF. Altova StyleVision takes a unique approach to report creation by letting users design reports from XML, databases, and even XBRL in a visual way – and output them in multiple formats simultaneously.

Over the years, support has been added for output to HTML, RTF, Word, and PDF – and now, based on customer feedback and requests, StyleVision also supports direct output to text. Let’s take a look at how it works.

NoSQL Database Support and More in Version 2022

October 27, 2021/in Database, Software, XBRL /by Erin Cavanaugh

Altova Software Version 2022 is now available, with exciting new support for mapping and converting NoSQL databases in MapForce, pure text report output in StyleVision, and Windows 11 across the product line. The release also adds support for the exciting new OIM standard from XBRL International.

Here’s a look at the highlights.

New tools for JSON, EDI, SWIFT, and XBRL in Version 2021

October 14, 2020/in Development, EDI, JSON, XBRL /by Erin Cavanaugh

As standards-based technologies and their applications evolve, so does the functionality that users require from developer tools. In our latest release, we’ve added new ways to work with XBRL, JSON, EDI, and more that help Altova customers work faster and more efficiently.

Let’s take a look at some highlights from the Altova Software Version 2021 release.

Tags: EDI, MapForce, new features, StyleVision, SWIFT, v2021, XBRL, XMLSpy

Build Advanced XML Reports with New XPath Debugger

April 15, 2020/in XML, XPath, XSL /by Erin Cavanaugh

Altova StyleVision is a unique, easy-to-use tool for creating business reports using a drag-and-drop visual design interface. StyleVision lets you build reports for XML as well as database and XBRL sources. Each design you create can be automated for recurring reporting to HTML, PDF and Word, either using the auto-generated XSLT stylesheet or via StyleVision Server.

Integral to XSLT stylesheet design is XPath for selecting and calculating data, as well as defining styling rules, in your report. New features added to StyleVision include an XPath debugger that makes testing and perfecting your report easier than ever. Let’s see how it works.

How to Create Fillable PDF Forms

February 12, 2020/in Development, Software /by Erin Cavanaugh

Compared to traditional paper forms, fillable PDF forms offer numerous benefits – aside from saving trees – including removing issues with legibility, allowing data validation, reducing re-keying errors, and streamlining information storage and re-use.

I, for one, really wish my kids’ school would switch to PDF forms for the myriad back-to-school information pages that we fill out in triplicate every fall. Perhaps I can give the administrators a demo of StyleVision, which just added support for fillable PDF form creation.

Unlike other PDF form design tools, however, StyleVision also provides form workflow functionality via integration with StyleVision Server for extracting and processing the data that end users enter. Let’s take a look at how it works.

PDF Forms

How to Debug XSLT and XQuery

July 31, 2018/in Development, Software, XML /by Erin Cavanaugh

Nothing’s more frustrating than getting unintended results from an XSLT or XQuery transformation and having to spend hours tracking down the issue – especially if you’ve inherited the project from another developer or haven’t looked at the code in a few months. Of course, XMLSpy has long included an XSLT debugger and XQuery debugger for setting break points and stepping through transformations to identify problems.

For a more interactive debugging process, XMLSpy also includes XSLT/XQuery back-mapping.

With back-mapping enabled, you can simply click on or hover over the portion of your output document you want to zero in on, and XMLSpy will immediately highlight the source XML and XSLT or XQuery instruction that is responsible. Let’s see how it works.

Debug XSLT with back-mapping

Converting a StyleVision Design to MobileTogether

April 27, 2017/in Applications, Mobile /by Erin Cavanaugh

StyleVision, Altova’s visual XSLT stylesheet designer and report designer, is also a powerful enterprise form designer popular with customers who need to get their XML or database data into e-forms for use with Altova Authentic.

Authentic is a WYSIWYG editor for non-technical users and is available in desktop and browser plug-in versions. However, due to increasing security issues, support for native plug-ins is being phased out in most modern web browsers. If you are an Authentic Browser Edition customer, fear not – you can now convert any existing StyleVision design to a MobileTogether design to deploy it via MobileTogether Server as a simple URL that can be accessed by web browsers, or even as a native app on a mobile device.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of that approach.

Enterprise Form to Mobile App
Read more…

Tags: Android, enterprise forms, iOS, mobile development, MobileTogether, StyleVision