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| <title>XML editor</title> |
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| <h1 class="topictitle1">XML editor</h1> |
| <div><p>The XML editor is a tool for creating and viewing XML files</p><p>You can use it to perform a variety of tasks such as the following:</p> |
| <ul><li>Create new XML files, either from scratch, existing DTDs, or existing |
| XML schemas</li> |
| <li>Edit and validate XML files</li> |
| <li>Import existing XML files for structured viewing</li> |
| <li>Associate XML files with DTDs or XML schemas</li> |
| </ul> |
| <p>To make the XML editor the default editor for XML files, select <span class="uicontrol">Window |
| > Preferences > Workbench > File Associations</span>, then select <span class="uicontrol">*.xml</span> and <span class="uicontrol">XML |
| Editor</span> from the Associated Editors list. Click <span class="uicontrol">OK</span>. </p> |
| <p>The XML editor has two main views - the Source view and the |
| Design view.</p> |
| <div class="skipspace"><h4 class="sectiontitle">Source view</h4><p>The Source view enables you to view |
| and work directly with a file's source code directly.</p> |
| <p>The Source view has many text editing |
| features, such as syntax highlighting, unlimited undo/redo, and user-defined |
| macros. Another helpful feature is content assist, which uses the information |
| in a DTD or schema content model to provide a list of acceptable continuations |
| depending on where the cursor is located in an XML file, or what has just |
| been typed. The XML editor Source view also includes a "smart" double-clicking |
| behavior. If your cursor is placed in an attribute value, one double-click |
| selects that value, another double click selects the attribute-value pair, |
| and a third double-click selects the entire tag. This makes it easier to copy |
| and paste commonly used pieces of XML.</p> |
| </div> |
| <div class="skipspace"><h4 class="sectiontitle">Design view</h4><p>The XML editor also has a Design view, |
| which represents the XML file simultaneously as a table and a tree. This helps |
| make navigation and editing easier. Content and attribute values can be edited |
| directly in the table cells, while pop-up menus on the tree nodes give alternatives |
| that are valid for that location. For example, the <span class="uicontrol">Add child</span> menu |
| item will list only those elements from a DTD or XML schema which would be |
| valid children at that point (as long as grammar constraints are on).</p> |
| <p>The |
| Design view is especially helpful if you are new to XML, or need to do form-oriented |
| editing. For example, you could use the Create XML File wizard to create a |
| template XML file for a job description form from a job description |
| DTD. After those steps are completed, you would only have to fill in the form |
| data using the Design view.</p> |
| <p> <b>Note</b>: You can also use the <b>Outline</b> view |
| to insert and delete elements.</p> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| |
| <div> |
| <blockquote> |
| <div class="ulchildlink"><b><a href="../topics/cwwedtvw.html">XML editor integration with the workbench</a></b><br /> |
| To edit a file using the XML editor, right-click the file in the |
| Navigator view, and click <span class="uicontrol">Open With > XML Editor</span>. Because |
| the editor that is last used to open a file becomes the default editor for |
| that particular file, the XML editor will remain the default |
| XML editor for that file unless you explicitly change it.</div> |
| <div class="ulchildlink"><b><a href="../topics/txprefs.html">Defining XML editor preferences</a></b><br /> |
| You can set various preferences for the Source view of the XML editor such as the formatter indentation style, line wrapping rules, and content assist rules.</div> |
| </blockquote> |
| |
| <p> |
| <b class="parentlink">Parent topic:</b> <a href="../topics/txedttag.html" title="">Editing XML files</a><br /> |
| </p> |
| <p><b class="relconceptshd">Related concepts</b><br /> |
| <a href="../topics/cxmlcat.html" title="There are two different ways to associate XML files with DTDs or XML schemas.">XML file associations with DTDs and XML schemas</a><br /> |
| </p> |
| <p><b class="reltaskshd">Related tasks</b><br /> |
| <a href="../topics/tcretxml.html" title="You can create a new empty XML file, which you can then edit in the XML editor.">Creating an XML file from scratch</a><br /> |
| <a href="../topics/txedttag.html" title="Editing XML files"></a><br /> |
| <a href="../topics/txedtdes.html" title="The XML editor has a Design view, which represents the XML file simultaneously as a table and a tree. This helps make navigation and editing easier. Content and attribute values can be edited directly in the table cells, while pop-up menus on the tree elements give alternatives that are valid for that particular element.">Editing in the Design view</a><br /> |
| <a href="../topics/txedtsrc.html" title="You can use the Source view to view and work with a file's source code directly.">Editing in the Source view</a><br /> |
| <a href="../topics/twxvalid.html" title="Validating XML files"></a><br /> |
| </p> |
| </div><p> |
| (C) Copyright IBM Corporation 2000, 2004. All Rights Reserved. |
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