Server Side XML Transformation

Let's do it!

To transform an XML node
try something like this (the related XML is below):
<asp:xmldatasource id="MySource" datafile="~/xml/articles.xml" xpath="articles/article" runat="server">

<asp:datalist id="MyDataList" datasourceid="MySource" runat="server">
<itemtemplate>
<ul class="linklist2">
<li><a href="<%# XPath">"><%# XPath("title") %></a></li>
</ul>
</itemtemplate>
</asp:DataList>

Explanation:
XmlDataSource – defines data source
- Its XPath attribute defines the part of the doc it will draw from.
DataList – data instance drawing from the data, referring to it by id. There can be more than one.
ItemTemplate – looping template, writing data into the html where indicated by XPath controls.

The XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<articles>
<article>
<id>1</id>
<title>1 Title Name</title>
<author>1 AuthorFirst AuthorLast</author>
<pubdate>1 Published Date</pubdate> <content>article1.html</content>
</article>
<article>
<id>2</id>
<title>2 Title Name</title>
<author>2 AuthorFirst AuthorLast</author>
<pubdate>2 Published Date</pubdate> <content>article2.html</content>
</article>
</articles>



To transform according to/using attributes
try something like this (the XML follows below):
<asp:xmldatasource id="MySource" datafile="Default.xml" xpath="Bookstore/genre/book" runat="server">

<asp:datalist id="MyDataList" datasourceid="MySource" runat="server">
<itemtemplate>

<table>
<tr>
<td>
<img alt="Cover Image" src='<%# "images/" + XPath("@ISBN") + ".gif" %>' >
</td>
<td>
<h4><%# XPath("@Title") %></h4>
<b>ISBN:</b> <%# XPath("@ISBN") %><br />
<b>Price:</b> <%# XPath("@Price") %>

</u>
<br />
<%# XPath(".") %>
</itemtemplate>
</asp:DataList>

</itemtemplate>
</asp:DataList>


The related XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<bookstore>
<genre name="Business">
<book isbn="BU1032" title="The Busy Executive's Database Guide" price="19.99">
<chapter num="1" name="Introduction">
Abstract...
</chapter>
<chapter num="2" name="Body">
Abstract...
</chapter>
<chapter num="3" name="Conclusion">
Abstract...
</chapter>
</book>
<book isbn="BU2075" title="You Can Combat Computer Stress!" price="2.99">
<chapter num="1" name="Introduction">
Abstract...
</chapter>
<chapter num="2" name="Body">Abstract...
</chapter>
<chapter num="3" name="Conclusion">
Abstract...
</chapter>
</book>
<book isbn="BU7832" title="Straight Talk About Computers" price="19.99">
<chapter num="1" name="Introduction">
Abstract...
</chapter>
<chapter num="2" name="Body">
Abstract...
</chapter>
<chapter num="3" name="Conclusion">
Abstract...
</chapter>
</book>
</genre>
</bookstore>
- Yeah, baby
=)



========================================================================
another way - for repeating controls, using the XML control:
========================================================================

The asp.net control:

<asp:Xml ID="xmlArticle" runat="server" DocumentSource="~/xml/articles.xml" TransformSource="~/xsl/articles.xsl"></asp:Xml>

the XML:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<articles>  
<article>    
<id>1</id>
<title>1 Title Name</title>
<author>1 AuthorFirst AuthorLast</author>
<pubdate>1 Published Date</pubdate>    <content>article1.html</content>
</article>  
<article>    
<id>2</id>    
<title>2 Title Name</title>    
<author>2 AuthorFirst AuthorLast</author>    
<pubdate>2 Published Date</pubdate>    <content>article2.html</content>  
</article></articles>

The XSL:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform%22&gt; 
<xsl:output method="xml"></xsl:output>
<xsl:template match="/articles">  
<xsl:for-each select="./article">    
<div>      
<xsl:attribute name="id">article-<xsl:value-of select="id">
</xsl:value-of>      
</xsl:attribute>      
<h2>        
<xsl:value-of select="title"/>      
</h2>      
<h3>        
<xsl:value-of select="pubdate"/>      
</h3>      
<p>        
<xsl:value-of select="content"/>      
</p>    
</div>  
</xsl:for-each>
</xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>