Saxon is the XSLT and XQuery processor developed by Michael Kay in the UK. Since the release of open source products in 1999, it guides XSLT processor technology and has won higher reputation. So far, only the implementation of the draft XSLT2.0 norm, which greatly promotes the popularity of XSLT languages.
From the 7.6 version released in 2003, Saxon adds support to XQuery. The running period of the two languages is the same, this description, in fact they have very similar semantics. XQuery support in saxon is in nature consists of an XQuery parser (also an XPath parser); the parser is the same as the XSLT processor, which generates the same internal interpretable code.
The xQuery processor does not provide a graphical user interface that can be called from the command line of the operating system or by the Java application API call.
Saxon is a memory processor. Whether using XSLT or XQuery, SAXON is designed to handle the source of memory.
SAXON is also only available in an integrated package that provides XSLT and XQuery products, you can use each language to get the best results. The two interfaces are complementary: You can write a library in XQuery and call this function in the XSLT style sheet.
Saxon introduction
Version 8.1.1 is the latest Saxonica's implementation of XPath 2.0, XSLT2.0, and XQuery1.0. This version implements the characteristics of these languages, also contains a self-standing mode processor that meets XML Schema 1.0.
SAXON 8.1 is developed under STYLUS Studio. Stylus Studio version 6 utilizes the new features introduced by the 8.1 version of Saxon, and supports stylesheets and query debugging. Saxonica is happy to recommend Stylus Studio as a leading XML, XSLT, and XQuery development environment.
SAXON 8.1 provides new features, improved performance, and better program diagnosis. The franchise style of Saxon-SA is also more flexible, providing different characteristic combinations at different price levels.
The product has been adjusted in accordance with the draft work issued in July 2004, although a few characteristics have not been implemented, the changes have been included in the implementation of the draft.
SAXON 8.1 has two versions. SAXON-B 8.1 is a modified processor and is provided free of charge for SourceForge (http://saxon.sf.net/) as an open source product. It follows XQuery1.0 in accordance with the basic consistency of XSLT 2.0. SAXON-SA 8.1 is the Mode Sensitive (Schaxonica Ltd.) of the package, provided in Saxonica Co., Ltd. (http://www.saxonica.com/). The license options have XSLT, XQuery, mode authentication, and all certificates can get all functions.
SAXON 8.1.1 is a maintenance version, corrected several errors in 8.1.
Please note: Help documents have in Saxonica sites and download files. Sometimes the online version will update some. Downloading files also include all API documents, in the Doc / API directory.
The current version of Java document API details in http://www.saxonica.com/documentation/javadoc/index.html
All change records are available in Changes.html.
SAXON 8.0 has been used by many users to develop applications. The code provides stable and reliable. But you have to be clear, the standard is still changing, and the new SAXON version will track the specification changes and does not guarantee backward compatibility.
If you expect complete stability, the preferred version is Saxon 6.5.3, which implements XSLT1.0 and XPath1.0. SAXON 8.1 requires Java JDK 1.4. Although the source code cannot be compiled in JDK1.5 due to the DOM interface, it is said that there is no problem in JDK1.5.
What is saxon?
The SAXON package is a toolset that handles an XML document. The main components are:
• XSLT 2.0 processor, you can use from the command line, or use the standard JAXP application interface to be called from Java applications. Saxon can use the JAXP application interface to combine with Java applications, which means that a Java application can switch between different XSLT processors without changing application code. Saxon is precisely in line with the XSLT 2.0 specification, but also has a large amount of powerful extension.
• XPath 2.0 processor, Java application can be accessed through an application interface.
• XQuery 1.0 processor, you can use it from the command line, or use an API to call from Java applications.
• XML Schema 1.0 processor, can be used separately to verify the correctness of a mode, or compare a definition in a mode to verify a source document. It is also used to support the Schema-aware feature of the XSLT and XQuery processors.
You can use Saxon to process XML by writing XSLT style sheets, writing xQuery queries, writing Java applications, or combines these methods.
SAXON fully implements XSLT 1.0 recommended standards, including XPath 1.0, Saxon 8.0 also implements almost all features defined in XSLT 2.0, XPath 2.0, and Query 1.0 drafts. New features exceeded outside XSLT 1.0 include:
· Use XSL: Result-Document support for multiple output files
· Temporary tree (previously referred to previous results tree fragment) complete processing power
· Support node sequence and simple value
· Function combination
· Regular expression processing
· Support new XPath structures such as IF, For, Some and Every
· Support the specified sort sequence
· Many new functions and operators
· Support new data types, such as Dates, TimeWs, and Duration (DURATIONS)
In addition, Saxon provides a wide range of extended elements and extension libraries, all implementation consistent with the XSLT recommended standards to ensure portable style sheets. These include ExSlt extensions Common, Sets, Math, and Dates-and-Times. Many this type of extension is SAXON first adopted.
These extensions are usually available in XQuery, except those dependent style sheet information.
SAXON also provides an API to allow Java applications to perform XPath expressions and process results. XQuery uses a separate API, different manifestations in the set up.
Scalability and function expansion
Saxon provides a functional extension mechanism that expands by adding extended functions and other hooks (HOOK) to expand the performance of Saxon XSLT style sheets and XQuery queries.
SAXON XQuery implementation allows calling Java method as an external function, and the function does not require a statement. Use the namespace declaration as follows: Declare namespace Math = Java: java.lang.math, you can call this method, such as: Math: SQRT (2).
Saxon includes a set of extended components that provide access to the SQL database. These are not intended to be the necessary attributes of the product (there are many limitations in the design), more to indicate how the extended components enhance the performance of the processor. Using SQL extensions in a style sheet, you need to define a namespace prefix in the extended element prefix properties of the element XSL: Stylesheet, and map this prefix to "/Net.sf.saxon.sql." SQLELEmentFactory "The resulting namespace URI.
This extension defines 5 new style sheet elements: SQL: Connect, SQL: Query, SQL: Insert, SQL: Column, and SQL: Close.
