IDB-BISEW Descriptive Questions on XML

1. What is XML?

XML (Extensible Markup Language) is derived from SGML. It is a subset of SGML. XML is optimized for use on the World Wide Web. XML has the ability to work with HTML for data display and presentation.

2. How XML relates to HTML?

a. XML is used to structure and describe data on the Web, HTML will likely be used to format that data. b. XML might take over the job of data storage and HTML would be used just for formatting and scripting. c. XML is used to describe data whereas HTML is used to display data. d. XML is a subset of SGML whereas HTML is an application of SGML.

3. Write the three goals of XML.

Three goals of XML are given below: GOAL 1: XML SHALL BE STRAIGHTFORWARDLY USABLE OVER THE INTERNET. GOAL 2: XML SHALL SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF APPLICATIONS. GOAL 3: XML SHALL BE COMPATIBLE WITH SGML.

4. What is XML structure?

There are two types of XML structure: a. logical structure - like a template b. physical structure – contains the actual data used in a document.

5. What are parsed and unparsed entities in XML?

Answer: Parsed entity: Sometimes called a text entity, contains text data that becomes part of the XML document once that data is processed. Unparsed entity: It is a container whose contents might or might not be text. If text, the content is not parsable to XML.

6. What are Internal and External Entities?

Internal entity is one in which no separate physical storage unit exists; the content of the entity is provided in its declaration. External entity refers to a storage unit in its declaration by using a system or public identifier.

7. Define DTD.

Answer: DTD (Document Type Definition) acts as a rule book that allows authors to create new documents of the same type and with the same characteristics as a base document.

8. What is Data Types in DTD?

In document content, XML allows data Types in DTD : a. Parsed character data (declared with the keyword #PCDATA) b. Character data (declared with the keyword CDATA).

9.Define is XML DOM?

DOM (Document object model) applications can use objects from other implementations. The document object represents the document’s data source. The object model allows the author to load an XML document via script code, using any XML processor supported by the browser or the application.

10. Define is XML namespace?

Namespaces in XML is a methodology for creating universally unique names in an XML document by identifying element names with a unique external resource. A namespace in XML is therefore a collection of names that is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). A namespace can be qualified or unqualified.

11. Define XLink.

XLink defines two basic kinds of links: simple links and extended links. XLink is designed to maintain the simplicity of linking in HTML, but it provides more power and extensibility when needed.

12. What is XPointer for?

XPointer is short for XML Pointer Language. XPointer allows the links to point to specific parts of an XML document. XPointer uses XPath expressions to navigate in the XML document. XPointer is designed to address the internal structures of a document whether or not they include ID attributes. The primary goal of XPointer is to provide a way to address the internal structure of an XML document.

13. Define XSL?

XSL stands for Extensible Stylesheet Language. XSL is a formatting language built especially for use by XML documents. In fact, XSL is an application of XML, so XSL’s structure and syntax are the same as those of XML. XSL is built around the style sheet mechanism.

14. What is an XML Template? Give an example?

XML template is a pattern that is used to convert an xml document into another visual format and the main document is not changed. XML template is implemented by XSLT(Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation).

15. What is XSL pattern?

XSL Patterns matches data in an XML document to a specified pattern, and then it returns the result of the pattern match through the XSL Patterns object model.

16. Define XML-Data Schema Language.

The XML-Data language is based on the XML-Data DTD. A document can be validated if it refers to this DTD, but simply complying with the XML-Data specification will result in well-formed XML, even if no DTD reference is made in the prolog.

17. Define Data-Centric XML Document.

Data-Centric XML is that which has record structure as its focus. Data-Centric XML serves a similar function to a database; a set of fields are pre-defined, and records must conform to that structure.

18. What is difference between html and xml?

Html is about displaying information and xml is about describing information. Html has no ability to separate user interface from the data. Xml it has ability to separate user interface from the data. HTML is about displaying information, while XML is about carrying information.

19. What is prolog?

The first structural element in an XML document is an optional prolog. The prolog consists of two basic components, also optional: the XML declaration and the document type declaration.

20. What is the Difference between system and public keyword?

System keyword: The System keyword is used for a specific organization or business or for a specific web site. Public keyword: The PUBLIC keyword should be used, followed by the public identifier that the processor can use if a standards library is available

21. What are notations?

A notation appears at the end of the declaration .This tells the processor what type of object is being referenced. Notation declarations follow this format : <!NOTATION GIF SYSTEM “lexplore.exe”>

22. Difference between CDATA and PCDATA in XML?

PCDATA– parsed character data. It parse/navigates to all the data/text in an xml document. Eg: <name> <first>prem</first> <last>kumar</last></name>

23. Write down the goals of XLink?

a. The xlink expression language shall be xml. b. The xlink design shall be prepared quickly. c. The xlink design shall be formal and concise. d. Xlink shall be human readable.

24. What is XSL Transformation Language?

The XSL transformation language (xsl namespace) is a description of how a processor can transform an XML document from one structure to another.

25. What is the Differences between xml schema and DTD?

DTD is complex and it contains dtd rules. But schema is flexible and more powerful and a schema document contains no dtd .

26. What is xml Data Islands?

XML Data islands allow authors to insert XML fragments directly into an HTML document. These fragments can be either inline XML or linked XML documents.

27. What is the Differences between Stream-Based and Tree-Based parsers?

Stream based parser can read through the document and signal the application every time a new component appears. Tree based parser can read entire document and give the application a tree structure corresponding to the element structure of the document.

28. What are the differences between Dom method and sax method?

Dom method: a. It allows random access to the document. b. Complex searches can be easily implemented. Sax method: a. It can parse files of any size. b. It is fast.

29. What is MSXML?

The first parser, which can perform both SAX and DOM based parsing is Microsoft’s MSXML.

30. What is XPath?

XPath stands for XML Path Language. XPath is a syntax for defining parts of an XML document. XPath is used to navigate through elements and attributes in an XML document. XPath contains a library of standard functions. XPath is a W3C Standard.

31. What are the benefits of well-formed documents?

The benefits of well-formed documents are as follows: • Well-formed ness can reduce the amount of work a client has to do. • In many cases authoring a dtd or validating a document is unnecessary. • Rules for a document can be provided in ways other than using a dtd.

32. What are the goals of xml-data?

The goals of xml-data as follows: • Special tools should not be required for maintaining schema documents. • Schemas should be extensible. • XML-Data must be upwardly compatible with XML 1.0. • XML and HTML authors should not have to learn a new syntax to express schema information. • Reuse of content model definitions should be easier than when using parameter entities.

33. What is SOAP?

Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) is formatting protocol. SOAP uses XML to define a protocol for the exchange of information in distributed computing environments. SOAP consists of three components: an envelope, a set of encoding rules, and a convention for representing remote procedure calls. SOAP is core part of WEB-SERVICE.

34. What is the difference between valid document and well-formed documents?

A valid xml document strictly obeys all these rules and a valid document also obeys all the validity constraints identified in the xml specification. And a well formed document obeyed some rules these rules are not nearly as strict those constraints required for validity.