xsdeclipse - Eclipse Interface for xsdTransformer

Generates Code Based On XML Schema

Joerg Moebius

Software and documentation is released under the terms of the GNU LGPL license and comes without a warranty of any kind.

2006-03-23

Revision History

Table of Contents

Purpose
Quick Start
Approach
Features
How to Obtain, Install, Uninstall and Reinstall
Usage
Examples
Considerations
Logging
Legal
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Purpose

xsdeclipse provides an eclipse user interface for xsdTransformer. xsdTransformer transforms XML schemata to other code (e.g. xhml sites containing XForms forms, JavaServer Pages containing jsf forms et al.). The provided xsdeclipse downloads are completely installable and runnable as it is. For only using xsdeclipse you don't need to download xsdTransformer.

This documents concerns to xsdeclipse - the eclipse interface of xsdTransformer. For further information concerning xsdTransformer itself please refer to the description of xsdTransformer.

Quick Start

Approach

xsdeclipse is designed to work as simple as possible. You trigger a transformation using one of the context menu items ('Generate XForms Site') and receives as result the generated xhtml site containing an XForms form within an window of suitable editor.

Even the procession parameters you have to determine only once. You determine the default values at the preference page and these default will be used in all coming runs.

Features

As mentioned above xsdeclipse is the eclipse user interface of xsdTransformer. So this manual discusses all issues concerning the eclipse interface:

xsdeclipse - the eclipse interface of xsdTransformer.

If you are interested in how xsdTransformer works, especially how xsdTransformer transforms XML schema artefacts to artefacts of the target language or system, please refer to:

see xsdTransformer

How to Obtain, Install, Uninstall and Reinstall

In the further explanations

eclipseProgramRoot means your individual eclipse program root directory

eclipseWorkspaceRoot means your individual eclipse project root directory. If you are using more than one workspace the descriptions concerning workspace are to apply to each workspace accordingly.

xsdeclipse needs (besides the normal plugin resources) access to Apache log4j (1.2. subversion 9 or an above subversion) and Apche Xerces (Version 2.7.0 or above). The downloads still include the necessary jar files. Feel free to configure the access to the libraries after your fancy.

Platform

xsdeclipse is developed using eclispe 3.1.1, java 5 on Windows XP. java 5 id mandatory. xsdeclipse might run on all 3.1.x versions and on all platforms dedicated for eclipse.

Download

xsdeclipse are available for all platforms under xsdeclipse downloads

The provided downloads are completely installable and runnable as it is. For only using xsdeclipse you don't need to download xsdtrans.

Installation

proceed the following steps

Unpack xsdeclipse-n.n.xxx (n.n = Version No, xxx = file extension).
Copy the plugin directory to your eclipseProgramRoot.

Uninstallation

proceed the following steps

delete eclipseProgramRoot/plugins/net.sourceforge.xsdeclipse
delete eclipseWorkspaceRoot/plugins/net.sourceforge.xsdeclipse

Reinstallation

proceed the following steps

Follow the instruction of the section 'Uninstallation'.
Follow the instruction of the section 'Installation'.

Usage

Generate XForms Site (Immediate Start)

This action transforms the selected file (input file) into an xhtml file containing XForms form and stores the new file in the same container, the input file resides in. The new file gets the same name as the input file with the extension 'xhtml'.

menu items are shown within the context menu of files with the extension 'xsd'

'Generate xForms Site' is the immediate start. You start the transformation based on the default procession parameters. 'Generate xForms Site...' is the start with customizing. Before starting the transformation you will get a dialog for changing the procession parameters.

Generate XForms Site... (Customized Start)

xsdexclipse Wizard

	Root Element is the entry point for the transformation. All top level elements of the selected XMLschema are provided here.
	Language for labels, alerts, hints and helps. The transformation picks resp. generates the entries according the ajusted language
	Min. Entries for 'full' Appearance the restriction entries of an xforms select1 control can be rendered either as group of radio control buttons (appearance 'full') or in case of a larger number of entries as a selection list (appearance 'minimal'). This parameter determines the number of entries from whereon the appearance 'minimal' (for listbox control in html) is applied.
	Generate absent xxxx labels, alerts, hints and helps can be stored at annotation/appinfo of each element. With 'Generate absent xxx' you can force xsdTransformer to generate an entry if there is no entry at appinfo.
	Container to place the output file in.
	Filename of the output file.

What Happens During Installation and First Start

xsdeclipse comes with three important controlling files:

xsdTrans.xml
xsd2xf.xsl
log4j.xml

You can find these three file in the root installation directory. After installation at the very fist time you use one of the plugin features xsdeclipse copies these three files to the state location of the plugin within the workspace you are actually using (eclipseWorkspaceRoot/.plugin/net.sourceforge/xsdeclipse).

Usually xsdTrans.xml and xsd2xf.xml needs no changes but log4j.xml do. In log4j.xml you can appoint your individual location of the log files.

Important

Whenever you need to edit one of the controlling files, work on the copies at the state location. Otherwise your changes will take no effect on usage of the plugin.

Maintain Preferences

at xsdeclipse preferences the default values of the procession parameters are maintained.

These default values will applied to immediate start and will used as initial value for the start with customizing.

Examples

todo

Considerations

todo

Logging

xsdeclipse uses log4j for logging. At installation state log4j is configured to produce three log files.

Table 1. log files and its content

logfile	content
xsdeclipse.log	receives usual information messages, warnings and error messages
xsdeclipse.error	receives only error messages
xsdeclipse.debug	receives all messages including program debug messages

Important

At installation state the location parameter of these log files consists of only the file name. This results in a location at the root of eclipse installation.

You should change these location according your needs:

  <appender name="debugFile" class="org.apache.log4j.FileAppender">
    <param name="File" value="xsdeclipse.debug"  />
    <param name="Append" value="false" />
    <layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout"> 
      <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d{hh:mm:ss} %p %C.%M(%L): %m%n"/>
    </layout> 
  </appender>
  <appender name="logFile" class="org.apache.log4j.FileAppender">
    <param name="Threshold" value="info" />
    <param name="File" value="xsdeclipse.log" /> 
    <param name="Append" value="true" />
    <layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout"> 
      <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d{hh:mm:ss} %p: %m%n"/>
    </layout> 
  </appender>
  <appender name="errorFile" class="org.apache.log4j.FileAppender">
    <param name="Threshold" value="error" />
    <param name="File" value="xsdeclipse.error" />
    <param name="Append" value="true" />
    <layout class="org.apache.log4j.PatternLayout"> 
      <param name="ConversionPattern" value="%d{hh:mm:ss} %p %C.%M(%L): %m%n"/>
    </layout>
  </appender>

Logfiles

	File Location should be changed according your needs.
	xsdeclipse.debug receives all messages including program debug messages.
	xsdeclipse.log receives usual information messages, warnings and error messages.
	xsdeclipse.error receives only error messages.

Legal

Software and documentation is released under the terms of the GNU LGPL license and comes without a warranty of any kind.