Review: Create Powerful XML Solutions Without Coding

By simply pointing to WSDL URLs, developers can connect to Web services fields by specifying data types and operations, and cna then generate SOAP requests. A preview pane allows developers to test SOAP requests before executing them into a pipeline. SOAP requests will be viewed as XML documents anywhere inside Stylus Studio.

By default, Stylus Studio uses DataDirect's XQuery processors and other options can work as well. For instance, developers can use the Saxon XQuery processor by simply commenting out the DataDirect code and activating the Saxon code.

Developers also can use built-in adapters to harvest external data sources from EDI, DIF, SDI, SLK and base 64 encoded binary files. Stylus Studio adapters are flexible and can be configured to accept any text files with delimiting characters.

Stylus Studio's Converter is an extremely useful tool when working with non-XML data sources. Developers can build many new adapters by just using the Converter instead of the Stylus Studio API. The Converter tool aligns columns graphically by detecting delimiters. In addition, developers have to match XML elements with structured text data.

The Converter also manages text source delimited with multiple rows. These regions of rows are separated by defining new column names. Regions also can be joined to form new XML structures. This technique allows more freedom for developers because they do not have to create new steps to build new document structures.

To generate Schemas from non-XML data, the Converter tool provides pattern matching using regular expressions to catch elements when traversing rows. The regular expression techniques provide the granularity necessary to pick up specific delimiting characters inside text files. However, this is not an exact method to control formatting in general. Pattern matching is a complex process and regular expressions can only go so far.

For a more comprehensive solution, the CRN Test Center recommends DataWatch's VorteXML, which is a powerful tool for converting non-XML data into XML in batch transactions.

Overall, there is little need to write code from scratch in Stylus Studio. Once all the XQuery and XSLT steps are tested combined, developers can start using the new XML pipeline editor.

For instance, when aggregating from an EDI data set into an inventory stock database, developers can combine those outputs by using XQuery, validation and transformation steps. The Schemas and XQueries can be dragged and dropped into the XML pipeline editor and get connected using pipelines. The tool knows to wait until each port in a pipeline is filled with data to invoke the next step in a process.

DataDirect Technologies Stylus Studio 2007 XML Enterprise Suite www.stylusstudio.com Tech Rating: Channel Rating: Distributors: Lifeboat Distribution (Programmers Paradise) Note: "Recommended" status is earned with a score of 8 stars out of 10.

Out of a pipeline process, developers can use the new Stylus Studio XML Publisher to create visual presentations for multiple XML data sources. A trigger to format and publish outputs from a pipeline process is marked by the XSL-FO and HTML+CSS icons. XML Publisher provides a complete report generator suite to build reports from scratch. Publisher also generates XSLT and XQuery code, so that developers can build output independent of Stylus Studio.

Stylus Studio Enterprise 2007 it is now priced at $795, which is $100 less than previous versions. However, the company is running a special introductory price of $595 until the end of this year for a single user license.

Oak Park, Calif.-based DataDirect offers average margins between 10 percent and 35 percent. Seasonal SPIFFs also are offered.

Free technical support is available to solution providers and all calls are answered within 24 hours. DataDirect provides new live Web-based training, in addition to its ongoing commitment to its online training library. Many of the new videos are accessible directly from Stylus Studio's help menus.