No matter how flexible and convenient digital information has become, we
haven't done away with the need to see information in print. Extensible
Style Language-Formatting Objects, or XSL-FO, is a set of tools
developers and web designers use to describe page printouts of their XML
(including XHTML) documents. If you need to produce high quality printed
material from your XML documents, then XSL-FO provides the
bridge.XSL-FO is one of the few books to go beyond a basic
introduction to the technology. While many books touch on XSL-FO in
their treatment of XSLT, this book offers in-depth coverage of XSL-FO's
features and strengths. Author Dave Pawson is well known in the XSLT and
XSL-FO communities, and maintains the XSLT FAQ. An online version of
this book has helped many developers master this technology. XSL-FO is
the first time this reference is available in print.The first part of
the book provides an overview of the technology and introduces the
XSL-FO vocabulary. The author discusses how to choose among today's
implementations, explains how to describe pages, and shows you what is
going on in the processor in terms of layout. You'll learn about the
basics of formatting and layout as well as readability.The second part
focuses on smaller pieces: blocks, inline structures, graphics, color
and character level formatting, concluding by showing how to integrate
these parts into a coherent whole. XSL-FO also explores organizational
aspects you'll need to consider?how to design your stylesheets
strategically rather than letting them evolve on their own.XSL-FO is
more than just a guide to the technology; the book teaches you how to
think about the formatting of your documents and guides you through the
questions you'll need to ask to ensure that your printed documents meet
the same high standards as your computer-generated content. Written for
experienced XML developers and web designers, no other book contains as
much useful information on this practical technology.
