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XML and SVG as an Aid to Distance Learning

XML and SVG as an Aid to Distance Learning. Lez Bullwer MSc Information Technology. Project Goals. Academic Objectives Investigate use of XML, XSL and SVG Investigate course material for semantic structures Produce a case study of the Tele-Akademie Product Objectives

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XML and SVG as an Aid to Distance Learning

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  1. XML and SVG as an Aid to Distance Learning Lez Bullwer MSc Information Technology

  2. Project Goals • Academic Objectives • Investigate use of XML, XSL and SVG • Investigate course material for semantic structures • Produce a case study of the Tele-Akademie • Product Objectives • Produce a prototype website

  3. Project Management • Time constraints • 3 months • 1st month in Germany • Research of XML, XSL and SVG • Research of Semantic structures • Research Tele-Akademie • Production of prototype web pages

  4. Problems • Displaying same information in differing ways, e.g. • bullet points • numbered list • flowchart diagram, etc. • This is a bulleted list • Another bullet • A third 1. This is a numbered list 2. Another number 3. A third

  5. Problems, cont. • Creation Time wasted in creating each one separately • EditingTime wasted changing each item for an editorial change to text

  6. Solution • Graphical generator/editor, which • uses same text source in different ways • allows updates to be produced dynamically • uses templates • is easy to use

  7. This project Text being displayed in different ways • Text kept in XML format • Transformed into HTML and SVG using XSL

  8. Acronyms • SGML Structured General Markup Language • HTML HyperText Markup Language • XML eXtensible Markup Language • XSL XML Stylesheet Language • XSL Formatting • XSL Transformation • SVG Scalable Vector Graphics

  9. Processing XML • Use XSL on XML to produce an output XML XSLprocessor HTMLorSVG XSL

  10. XSL Processing XSL can transform XML into: • another XML file, e.g. • same as original but with different tag names • only part of the original XML • HTML (‘normal’ web pages) • DHTML (interactive web pages) • SVG

  11. XSL processing On the Client e.g. IE5 Server Client XML XSLprocessor HTMLorSVG XSL

  12. XSL processing On the server e.g. Xalan Server Client XML XSLprocessor HTMLorSVG XSL

  13. XSL processing Pre-server e.g. XT Pre-Server Server XML XSLprocessor HTMLorSVG XSL

  14. Demonstration *********DEMO******** Example of XML and XSL with resultant HTML. Page 1

  15. Graphics Formats currently in use: • Bitmap or Raster Graphics • Vector Graphics

  16. Bitmap Graphics • GIF • JPEG • Information for each pixel held, e.g.: • colour • contrast • position

  17. Bitmap Graphics • Advantages • Widely used on the Internet • Widely used in simple graphics packages

  18. Bitmap Graphics • Disadvantages • Large files • Resolution dependent • Static • No interaction • Text is unselectable and unsearchable • Search engines cannot easily index bitmaps

  19. Vector Graphics • On Internet: • Flash • VML • SVG

  20. Vector Graphics • Disadvantages • More complicated than bitmap. • User is required to understand more about graphic production and terminology.

  21. Vector Graphics • Advantages • Graphics programs output in Vector format • Each item drawn according to mathematical equations • Text based • More versatile than bitmap • Reusable • Can be easily changed

  22. SVG • XML-based • uses tags, therefore • can be produced using XSL • can be manipulated by programming

  23. SVG - what it can do • Text in different positions • International text • Animation • Gradient fills • Filter effects • Scripting added for interactivity

  24. Demonstration *********DEMO******** Example of XML and XSL with resultant SVG Page 2, 3, 4

  25. Scripting and XSL SINCE: It is possible to produce values dynamically for SVG to work with. THEN: It must also be possible to produce variable names dynamically.

  26. Demonstration *********DEMO******** Example of dynamically produced scripting Page 5

  27. Web Browsers • IE5 • By far the most popular browser in use today • Includes built-in XML/XSL processor • Netscape v6 • Only recently released • Netscape v4.x • Mozilla • Opera

  28. Demonstration *********DEMO******** Using Netscape with SVG Viewing Prototype Website with paraplus

  29. Conclusions • XML is flexible and from one source document can produce: • PDF • HTML • slides for OHP • Diagrams/graphs • Graphics for web pages

  30. Conclusions • Further research into lecture material structures, to produce: • DTD or schema • XML/SVG-processor/editor specifically for lecturers • Further research into producing scripting dynamically

  31. References Adobe http://www.adobe.com Sun http://www.sun.com/software/xml/developers/svg W3C http://www.w3.org

  32. The End

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