Transformation Scenarios
A transformation scenario is a set of complex operations and settings that gives you the
possibility to obtain outputs of multiple types (XML, HTML, PDF, EPUB, etc.) from the same
source of XML files and stylesheets.
Note: You need to use the appropriate stylesheet according
to the source definition and the desired output. For example, if you want to transform into
an HTML format using a DocBook stylesheet, your source XML document should conform with the
DocBook DTD.
Executing a transformation scenario implies multiple actions, such as:
- Validating the input file.
- Obtaining intermediate output files (for example, formatting objects for the XML to PDF transformation).
- Using transformation engines to produce the output.
Before transforming an XML document in Oxygen XML Author, you need to define a transformation scenario to apply to that document. A scenario is a set of values for various parameters that define a transformation. It is not related to a particular document, but rather to a document type. Oxygen XML Author includes preconfigured built-in transformation scenarios, but you can also create new transformation scenarios.
When creating new transformation scenarios, the types that are available include:
- Scenarios that Apply to XML Files - This type of scenario contains the location of an XSLT stylesheet that is applied on the edited XML document, as well as other transformation parameters. For more information, see XML Transformation with XSLT and XML Transformation with XQuery.
- Scenarios that Apply to XSLT Files - This type of scenario contains the location of an XML document that the edited XSLT stylesheet is applied to, as well as other transform parameters. For more information, see XSLT Transformation on XML.
- Scenarios that Apply to XQuery Files - This type of scenario contains the location
of an XML source, that the edited XQuery file is applied to, as well as other transform
parameters. When the XML source is a native XML database, the XML source field of the
scenario is empty because the XML data is read with XQuery-specific functions, such as
document(). When the XML source is a local XML file, the URL of the file is specified in the XML input field of the scenario. For more information, see XQuery Transformation. - Scenarios that Apply to JSON Files - This type of scenario contains the location of an XSLT stylesheet that is applied on the edited JSON document, as well as other transformation parameters. For more information, see JSON Transformation with XSLT and XSLT Transformation on JSON.
- Scenarios that Apply to SQL Files - This type of scenario specifies a database connection for the database server that runs the SQL file that is associated with the scenario. The data processed by the SQL script is located in the database.
- Scenarios that Apply to XProc Files - This type of scenario contains the location of an XProc script, as well as other transform parameters. For more information, see SQL Transformation.
- DITA-OT Scenarios - This type of scenario provides the parameters for an Ant transformation that executes a DITA-OT build script. Oxygen XML Author includes a built-in version of Ant and a built-in version of DITA-OT, although you can also set other versions in the scenario. For more information, see DITA-OT Transformation.
- ANT Scenarios - This type of scenario contains the location of an Ant build script, as well as other transform parameters. For more information, see Ant Transformation.
Note:
Status messages generated during the transformation process are displayed in the Information view.