Any XML gui tools out there?

[superboyac]

A lot of my favorite programs have the ability to export xml files.  These same programs also have very poor printing capabilities.  So, somehow, I need to be able to print GOOD-LOOKING tables from the information in these programs.  I tried dealing with Excel's xml capabilities, but they are very convoluted.  I need a way to take an EXISTING xml file, and quickly be able to print it in a nice looking report.  I don't want to manipulate it in Excel for 15 minutes every time I want to print something.  Is there anything like this?

What I'm looking for is something that will allow me to map the xml elements, as far as what I want shown and what I don't want shown.  I don't want everything shown, usually there's way too much data there.  So I need to be able to hide things. Then, I need to be able to format everything: headers, fonts, background color, etc.  Then, when I do all this once, i need to be able to save it, and every other time I use an export from teh same program, i want it to spit out the nice looking things I set up.

Anything?

[timns]

I have that feeling of deja vu... there was a similar thread recently and I think we mentioned such things as XSLT

I bet there's a few folks who could give you a hand with setting up a stylesheet, and once it's all set up, re-use and customisation should be a piece of cake. While falling off a log.

[Renegade]

I have that feeling of deja vu... there was a similar thread recently and I think we mentioned such things as XSLT

I bet there's a few folks who could give you a hand with setting up a stylesheet, and once it's all set up, re-use and customisation should be a piece of cake. While falling off a log.

-timns (March 02, 2011, 07:03 PM)

I don't know of any good, easy tools for XSLT development.

If the XML files are all the same type, then once you create the XSLT, you're good to go forever. However, if they are all different types, then you will need 1 XLST for each type.

But do check for XSL authoring tools as there might be something out there. I've done it by hand in the past, and don't know of any user-friendly authoring tools, but it doesn't mean they aren't out there.

[Ath]

There's the input description: http://xmlgraphics.a...ache.org/fop/fo.html

And a graphical authoring tool: http://foa.sourceforge.net/

[barney]

Tried FOA - similar need to superboyac's - but it opens only its own XML files or those created by WH2FO.

The FO stuff might work, but there's no time to learn a new scripting (?) language  .

Still searching ...  .

[timns]

I have a copy of Stylus Studio and would be willing to write some simple stylesheets for you guys.

[superboyac]

I have a copy of Stylus Studio and would be willing to write some simple stylesheets for you guys.

-timns (March 05, 2011, 10:43 AM)

Could you post a screenshot or pdf of a sample report that you have created using a stylesheet?  I have never seen an end-result with xml.  Everyone always talks about about what you can do, but I've never seen anyone do it and print it out.  So I'd be really interested in something where you've taken an xml file, styled it using Stlyus Studio, and now have a nice-looking report.  Thanks, I'd really appreciate it.

[timns]

Ok well it's not very 'pretty' because this is a bit of a dry old manifest, but basically we go from this:

Input XML
Any XML gui tools out there?

through the stylesheet, to create this
Any XML gui tools out there?

At this point you have complete control over the layout, since the stylesheet is turning your XML into HTML. In otherwords, you're telling the stylesheet what to look for in the XML, and then how to present it using HTML commands.

So it appears nicely in your browser and from there you can print, save etc.

[jasonvogel]

I use the FREE XML Pad (http://www.wmhelp.com/xmlpad3.htm).  I used to use XML Spy (expensive, but awesome).

Jason

[ewemoa]

Don't know if anything from the following thread is of any use, but FWIW:

https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=22617.0

[Ath]

I use the FREE XML Pad (http://www.wmhelp.com/xmlpad3.htm). 

-jasonvogel (April 06, 2011, 05:14 PM)

Hm, the site seems to have either passed away, or it's been DoCo'd (like 'slashdotted' )

[Armando]

XML pad is good, but a bit buggy IMO. And... yes, the site seems to be gone.

After trying quite a few I settled on XML marker for simple tasks. It's fast and efficient in RAM and CPU resources.

[Armando]

I should mention that XML marker has some limitations, and that's when I use xml pad.

[Edit : application is still in active development though and some of the limitations -- like no Unicode support -- should be addressed, according to the developer.]

[sajman99]

I use the FREE XML Pad (http://www.wmhelp.com/xmlpad3.htm). 

-jasonvogel (April 06, 2011, 05:14 PM)

Hm, the site seems to have either passed away, or it's been DoCo'd (like 'slashdotted' )

-Ath (April 07, 2011, 01:27 AM)

No luck here either. I figured I would take a look because XML Marker hasn't been updated in quite a while (2004).

[Armando]

XML Marker hasn't been updated in quite a while (2004).

-sajman99 (April 07, 2011, 06:39 PM)

The developper seems activethough...  There he says

Project status:
It has been more 6 years(!) since the last release, but development has not stopped. XML Marker 2.0 should be out soon and will include the following features:

    * Read XML files in Unicode using UTF 8 and UTF 16 encoding.
    * Edit json files.
    * Tree will not collapse when editing the text.
    * Bookmarks
    * Path selector
    * Faster and uses less memory

When he says "last version" I believe he refers to version 1.1 from November 2004. So... v.2 should be around the corner... (I'm optimistic...)

[marcopolo2]

I have that feeling of deja vu... there was a similar thread recently and I think we mentioned such things as XSLT

I bet there's a few folks who could give you a hand with setting up a stylesheet, and once it's all set up, re-use and customisation should be a piece of cake. While falling off a log.

-timns (March 02, 2011, 07:03 PM)

I don't know of any good, easy tools for XSLT development.

There's a useful XSL link on the W3 site here http://www.w3.org/Style/XSL/

However to answer the question of a  good XSL tool it depends on your platform, some tools are linux, some are windows and some can do both like oxygen and xmlblueprint I think. Where I work we use Liquid XML Editor, but it is commercial and you might be better off with a free one if you are only doing basic stuff.

If the XML files are all the same type, then once you create the XSLT, you're good to go forever. However, if they are all different types, then you will need 1 XLST for each type.

But do check for XSL authoring tools as there might be something out there. I've done it by hand in the past, and don't know of any user-friendly authoring tools, but it doesn't mean they aren't out there.

-Renegade (March 02, 2011, 07:46 PM)

[Armando]

[WARNING: OLD THREAD -- I thought it would be better to post these news here though instead of creating a new thread.]

Xml marker v.2 now available !

It's greater and it's still free !  

[OOOPS... No it isn't I'll check the lincense more closely, and come back... 

It has almost all features I need for my everyday work with XML. It's light and speedy too.


New features:

    

• Unicode: Able to read, write and display Unicode. Supported encodings are UTF8 and UTF16.
•    Json! Use XML Marker to browse and edit Json files.
•    Plain text. Use XML Marker as a simple editor with no syntax highlighting and no navigation.
•    Non-collapsing: Editing in the text view will not clear your tree and table selection.
•    Bookmarks: Set bookmarks in text, tree and table views. Use CTRL+F2 to set a new bookmark, and F2 to cycle.
•    Branch selector: a text box to see and set the currently selected element using a simple syntax.
•    Faster and requires less memory.
•    More informative grid: Tags with attributes and a single text will now show the single text rather than the tag name.
•    The grid can now edit tag names (works only on the first column)
•    Grid editing checks the validity of the entered test.
•    Better synchronization and better undo redo
•    Bug fix: hangs when replacing s1 with s2 where s1 is a substring of s2.
•    Scroll wheel on the tree view can be set to scroll rather than to change tree selection. look at the options/scroll wheel changes tree selection
•    The selected row is highlighted in the grid.
•    CTRL+End and CTRL+Home respectively goes to the beginning and the end of the document
•    Line numbers and grid row numbers
•    Lines longer than 2000 character are wrapped (nothing changes in the data itself)
•    When the current document changes due to external program. XML marker shows a message box with a reload option.
•    Bug fix: different scroll amount for the up and down scroll arrows.
•    Reparse all command (F7)

[Armando]

Ah well... It was a bit too good to be true... 
Still a great little app though. But now 125$... Which is okay if you use it for work, for sure.

Basically license says that :

If you obtained a valid license key from Symbol Click Software or an authorized reseller, your name is the same as the Licensed To field, then you may install and use the software in the specified number of users.

Each user is either (but not both):

    One to five computers used primarily by a single person.
    A single computer used non-simultaneously by multiple people while physically present at the computer.