Synopses & Reviews
Praise for XForms: XML Powered Web Forms “XForms is an exciting new technology for designing Web forms in an elegant and accessible way. Ramans book provides strong motivations for flexibility in the design of human-machine interactions, and explains how to use XForms to this end in crystal-clear prose.” —Eve Maler
XML Standards Architect, Sun Microsystems
“Interactive forms technology is the logical evolution of Web user interface design. XForms represents a significant leap forward in that evolution.” —Sean McGrath
CTO, Propylon
“The greatest strength of this book is the skill with which T. V. Raman links the XForms technology with the larger context of the Web. The limitations of HTML forms, the ways in which XForms provides a better foundation for Web and Web service user interfaces, and the opportunities for an XForms-powered Web that is accessible to all users and devices are outlined and brought together in a compelling way.” —Michael Champion
Advisory Research and Development Specialist, Software AG
“Ramans book gives the reader an excellent explanation of the emerging W3C XForms recommendation. Its a well-organized and well-written book that begins with a gentle introduction to the concepts that motivated the development of XForms and then provides a reasonable overview of the relevant XML technology related to XForms. Most of the book covers XForms components: user interface controls, model properties, functions, actions, and events. It concludes with XForms as a Web service, offering multi-modal access and accessibility. In light of the October 2003 deadline for U.S. federal agencies to comply with the mandate of the Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) to give citizens the opportunity to provide information online, this important technical work comes none too soon. As T. V. masterfully elucidates, XForms provides the ‘last mile in ‘connecting users to their data. Insightfully, he also observes ‘the document is the human interface to data—an understanding without which the challenge to make eGov services ‘citizen-centered simply cannot and will not be met.” —Owen Ambur
Cofounder and Cochair, XML Working Group, U.S. CIO Council
“I found the authors straightforward style quite comfortable and informative. I heartily recommend this book, especially for government XML developers interested in the broader area of E-Forms. Understanding XForms is key to developing robust and flexible E-Forms solutions that separate content, logic, validation, and presentation. Youll never look at (X)HTML forms the same way after reading Ramans book.” —Kenneth Sall
GSA eGov Technical Architect/XML Specialist, SiloSmashers
“Reusable components such as E-Forms are at the heart of the U.S. Federal Enterprise Architecture and E-Government, and XML standards-based solutions are starting to appear for use across the government. T. V. Ramans book meticulously explains how XForms leverage the power of using XML for E-Forms and have been designed to abstract much of XMLs functionality into a set of components referred to as MVC (Model, View, Controller), which separates the model from its final presentation. This XForms component architecture serves as an excellent roadmap for the reader. T. V. eloquently shows how XForms make the original promise of ‘the document is the interface a reality so the collected data can be directly submitted to a Web service—thus putting a human face on Web services!”
—Brand Niemann, Ph.D., Chair, XML Web Services Working Group, U.S. CIO Council
XForms—XML-powered Web forms—are set to replace HTML forms as the backbone of electronic commerce. XForms enable the creation and editing of structured XML content within a familiar Web browser environment, which is likely to play a key role in enabling simple browser-based access to Web services. XForms leverage the power of XML in modeling, collecting, and serializing user input. In this book, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) XForms specification editor T. V. Raman explains how programmers can create durable and dependable feature-rich forms accessible from multiple platforms and devices and available in multiple languages and modes.
XForms play a key role in connecting humans to information technologies, deployed as Web services. This book begins by providing an overview of the XForms technology and the set of XML standards on which it is built, including XML Path Language (XPath), Dom2 events, XML events, XML namespaces, and XML Schema. Part II profiles the XForms architecture and its components. An introduction to the available user interface controls leads into a guide to creating complex user interfaces. The following chapters describe XForms model properties, functions, actions, and events. Each chapters increasingly complex examples illustrate the concepts discussed. The final part of the book details how XForms will be used to create a new generation of human-centric, multimodal, accessible Web transactions.
Readers will learn:
- Why XForms can deliver better user interaction at less cost
- How the XForms technology works
- What comprises the XForms architecture
- How to use XForms to connect users to Web services
- How XForms can accommodate spoken and visual interaction
- How to ensure universal accessibility to Web content with XForms
XForms will transform the way companies and consumers handle Web transactions. XForms: XML Powered Web Forms provides Web developers, IT professionals, and Web server administrators with a firm grasp of this standard, how it will shape emerging solutions, and how it will change the nature of their day-to-day work.
About the Author
T. V. Raman is a member of IBM's Almaden Research Center and of the W3C XForms Working Group. He earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University and has filed more than 20 patents during his ten years of work in advanced technology development. His areas of expertise include auditory interfaces, scripting languages, Internet technologies such as Web server applications, and Web standards.
0321154991AB07172003
Table of Contents
1. XML Powered Web Forms.
Background.
A Simple Web Application.
XForms Components.
Summary Of XForms Benefits.
XForms At A Glance.
2. Standard Building Blocks.
Introduction.
XPath--XML Path Language.
DOM2 Events.
XML--Extensible Markup Language.
XML Schema.
XForms Implementations.
XML Standards At A Glance.
3. XForms User Interface Controls.
XForms User Interface Design.
Common Aspects Of XForms Controls.
Collecting Text Input.
Selecting From A Set Of Values.
Selecting From A Range Of Values.
Uploading Data.
Triggering Actions.
Submitting Data.
XForms Controls At A Glance.
4. Creating Complex User Interfaces.
Aggregation Using group.
Dynamic User Interaction With switch.
Repeating Structures With repeat.
Complete Example Of An XForms User Interface.
XForms User Interface At A Glance.
5. XForms Model Properties.
Introduction.
Attaching Constraints Via Element bind.
Property relevant For Model-based Switching.
Property required For Mandatory Fields.
Property readonly For Controlling Changes.
Property constraint For Dynamic Validation.
Constraining The Number Of Permitted Entries.
Property calculate For Dynamic Computation.
Augmenting Schemas With Type Constraints.
Declaring Privacy Level Via P3P.
XForms Model Properties At A Glance.
6. XForms Functions.
Introduction.
Boolean Functions.
Number Functions.
String Functions.
Date-time Functions.
Node-set Functions.
Binding Expressions--The Full Story.
XForms Functions At A Glance.
7. XForms Actions.
Introduction.
Declarative Event Handlers.
XForms Actions At A Glance.
8. XForms Events.
Introduction.
Initialization Events.
Interaction Events.
Notification Events.
XForms Events At A Glance.
9. Connecting The User To Web Services.
A Human-Centric View Of Web Services.
Connecting Users To Their Data.
Creating Personalized Information Views.
XForms Web Services At A Glance.
10. Multimodal Access.
Multimodal Interaction For Ubiquitous Access.
Multimodal Access.
Multimodal User Interface Principles.
Creating Multimodal Interfaces Using Xforms.
Multimodal Interaction At A Glance.
11. XForms And Accessibility.
XForms Enables Universal Access.
Design Principles For Accessible Interfaces.
Leveraging XForms Accessibility Features.
Index. 0321154991T06052003