xsltproc Command
The xsltproc command is a powerful command-line utility used to transform XML documents using XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) stylesheets. It's an essential tool for developers working with XML data, enabling them to convert XML into various formats, most commonly HTML, but also other XML structures or plain text.
Transform XML with XSLT
The primary function of xsltproc is to apply an XSLT stylesheet to an XML file. This process generates a new document based on the rules defined in the stylesheet. The basic syntax involves specifying the stylesheet and the XML file to be processed.
# Transform an XML file with a specific XSLT stylesheet:
xsltproc --output output.html stylesheet.xslt xmlfile.xmlIn this command:
xsltproc: Invokes the utility.--output output.html: Specifies the name of the output file. If omitted, the output is typically sent to standard output.stylesheet.xslt: The XSLT file containing the transformation rules.xmlfile.xml: The input XML file to be transformed.
Pass Parameters to XSLT Stylesheets
XSLT stylesheets often utilize parameters to allow for dynamic transformations. xsltproc provides a straightforward way to pass values to these parameters using the --stringparam or --param options.
# Pass a string value to a parameter in the stylesheet:
xsltproc --output output.html --stringparam parameterName parameterValue stylesheet.xslt xmlfile.xmlThis is particularly useful for customizing the output based on specific requirements without modifying the stylesheet itself. For example, you might pass a version number or a configuration setting.
Understanding XSLT Processing
XSLT is a W3C standard for transforming XML documents. It uses an XML-based syntax to describe transformation rules. When xsltproc processes an XML file with an XSLT stylesheet, it interprets these rules to select nodes, apply templates, and construct the output document. This makes it incredibly versatile for data manipulation and presentation.