Introduction to XML and the Microsoft .NET Platform
(Microsoft Training Course: 2500) - 2 days - £1200 exc VAT

This course provides a technological overview of the structure and programming techniques of XML. This course shows where XML figures into the Microsoft .NET vision and into the larger world of distributed standards based computing

1. XML and the Microsoft .NET Platform
2. Basic XML
3. Validating XML
4. Introducing Technologies for Handling XML Data
5. Creating and Manipulating Trees Using DOM
6. Using XPath to Transform a Tree of Nodes
7. Formatting and transforming: XSL and XSLT
8. Using XQuery to Link and Query XML Documents
9. SQL XML
10. The Challenge of Designing XML Solutions

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Module 1: XML and the Microsoft .NET Platform

• Defining XML's Role in Microsoft .NET
• Practice: Exporting and Importing Office Data to and from XML Format
• Practice: Choose a Data Format that is Easier to Work with: EDI or XML
• XML Standards
• Understanding XML Parsers

Skills

• Identify where and how XML is used within the .NET distributed computing and web based world.
  

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Module 2: Basic XML

• The Form of XML
• Practice: Fixing Form Problems in a Set of XML Documents
• Designing Data with XML Grammars
• Namespaces
• Practice: Modifying XML Namespaces
• Processing Instructions

Skills

• Design an XML document, given a set of data requirements based on a real world application.
  
• Design a document that conforms to the formal rules of XML.
  
• Lab: Creating and Testing an XML Document to Represent Ticketing Data
  

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Module 3: Validating XML

• Identifying Validation Requirements
• Practice: Identifying Where Validation is Needed
• Choosing a Validation Method
• Practice: Do Sample Conversions and Check/Compare Functionality
• Understanding Schemas

Skills

• Give an example of an instance document of moderate complexity.
  
• Develop an XML Schema to validate documents.
  
• Lab: Using Office XP to Generate a Schema that Validates Instance Documents
  

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Module 4: Introducing Technologies for Handling XML Data

• The Need for XML Data Handling Technologies
• Comparison of Each Type
• Practice: Given a Code Snippet, Students Determine the Function of the Code

Skills

• Identify situations where you would need to use the following XML technologies: DOM, XPath, XSL/XSLT and XQuery.Use the DataReader object
  

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Module 5: Creating and Manipulating Trees Using DOM

• Defining DOM
• Using the DOM
• DOM Code Examples

Skills

• Use the DOM, DOM trees.
  
• Identify the ways in which DOM can and cannot be used to manipulate XML documents.
  
• Lab: Changing a Tree
  

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Module 6: Using XPath to Transform a Tree of Nodes

• What is XPath?
• Using XPath Language
• Practice: Identifying and Interpreting XPath Expressions
• Understanding the Range of Application of XPath
• Practice: Matching Requirements to Technology

Skills

• Use XPath to navigate XML documents
  
• Select content in XML documents, and how it can be used by other XML technologies.
  
• Lab: Using XPath to Navigate and Select Data
  

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Module 7: Formatting and transforming: XSL and XSLT

• What is XSL?
• What is XSLT and How Does it Relate to XSL?

Skills

• Use XSL technologies to control XML presentation
  
• Perform XML transformations to filter and sort and to format XML.
  
• Lab: Create and Edit XSLT in FrontPage 2002
  

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Module 8: Using XQuery to Link and Query XML Documents

• What is XQuery?
• Working with XQuery

Skills

• Design basic and advanced XQuery statements.
  
• Apply XQuery statements to XML documents.
  
• Lab: Designing Simple and Advanced XQueries
  

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Module 9: SQL XML

• XML Support in Microsoft SQL Server 2000
• Using HTTP to Access and Input XML Data
• Manipulating XSL Using Transact SQL
• Using ADO to Access XML Data
• Using Mapping Schemas
• Practice: Using XML View Mapper
• UpdateGrams and BulkLoad

Skills

• Describe how Microsoft SQL Server 2000 implements XML support through ISAPI
  
• Describe how to manipulate Microsoft SQL Server 2000 data using XML.
  
• Lab: Creating SQL Queries
  

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Module 10: The Challenge of Designing XML Solutions

• Solutions that Use XML
• Web Services
• What Next?

Skills

• Review a proposed solution and choose an appropriate mix of XML and related technologies to address design requirements.
  
• Lab: Building a Menu System
  
• Challenge Lab: Matching a Solution Requirement to a Set of Technologies
  

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Before attending this course, students must have the following pre-requisites:

• Working knowledge of a scripting or programming language
• Working knowledge of HTML
• Working knowledge of how databases are used in distributed computing environments

At the end of the course, students will be able to describe how XML fits into the overall vision of distributed computing using Microsoft .NET technologies, create a well-formed XML document, use XML Schemas to validate an instance document, describe how DOM, XPath, XSL/XSLT and XQuery are used to create real world solutions, describe how SQL Server 2000 uses XML, match appropriate XML standards (MSXML, MathXML, etc.) and technologies (DOM, XSLT, XSD, XQuery, and XPath) to address a range of solution requirements, identify the next logical Microsoft .NET training experience and readily justify the decision to enroll in further Microsoft .NET training.