Drag-and-drop generation of XSLT for displaying XML as HTML?

Question

(I've searched and browsed XSLT questions, as well as looked at Altova's product, though not yet Stylus's product.)

I do not want to hear again that XSLT is complicated and difficult to hand-code. That's how HTML was when it was first popularized. (I know, apples and oranges comparison because XSLT is a processing language and HTML is just a display and meta-tagging language.) But now very few people hand-craft HTML. They just use WYSIWIG editors and get on with their (programming) lives.

And I know that XSLT can do a lot, and some tasks it can do are not simple.

But mine is.

I have simple XML files, such as CUnit test reports, and PC-lint standard XML output. I want to take such an XML file and:

1. Double-click to open in Greatest_XSLT_Editor
2. Have it automatically parse the XML and show me a tree view of the XML document
3. Let me drag and drop graphical objects like tables and boxes, and drag and drop elements of the XML document from the tree view into those tables and boxes, such that
4. I get nice-looking WYSIWIG display of my XML data AND
5. I click Save Style Sheet and it prompts me for a file path to save the automatically-generated XSLT that, when associated with the XML, will display my XML in a web browser as HTML looking as it did in step 4
6. Nice touch would be that it asks me whether I'd like to add a pointer to my new XSLT in my XML file, and offers me a Save As dialog for that

Needless to say, I would use my drag-and-drop generated XSLTs both: a. Via step 6, to have my XMLs displayed the way I like them and b. With xsltproc, to batch translate XMLs into HTMLs for later display as desired

QUESTION: Where do I find "Greatest_XSLT_Editor"?

Update -- Stylus now registered. (My request for trial registration had gotten stuck in their spam filters, but support found it and got it out.) Hope to try theirs too, starting with their tutorial. Wish I had more time for all this ...

Update -- trying Altova StyleVision -- as below, failed at step #3. Found their tutorial at

http://altova-aot.s3.amazonaws.com/Altova%20StyleVision%20Module%201/player.html

so I will try that.

I've got Altova StyleVision open on screen. It wasn't drag-and-drop or double-click to get my XML in, but OK, File > New > From XML was good enough. And I do have a Schema Tree window automaticlaly generated which shows step #2 above. But I certainly have not figured out how to operate the Design window with inserting HTML elements and dragging/dropping tree elements (step #3) such that when I click "PreviewHTML" I get an expected HTML (step #4). Maybe I should just phone up Altova and get support for the trial ...

Answer 1

I believe that the Stylus product you referred to is the closest thing to what you are looking for. I'm actually in the process of doing almost the same thing as you, and I'm starting with Stylus next week. After a little research, I couldn't seem to find something that looked better than what they are showing off here.

I'm anxious to see what other programs people might recommend, though.

Answer 2

Did you really take a good look at Altova's StyleVision? This is a simple drag&drop application which allows you to read an XML file or schema and then drop it on a form. This form could then be translated to an XSLT that generates the HTML page you want.

Of course, you've mentioned Altova so you've seen this product. Right? So you need something better than this? Haven't found it, so I'm interested too. :-)

(Yes, StyleVision seems to do everything you've asked for. What's wrong with it?)