The layout is a model, with placeholders to be filled with live and up to date product data. Your tool to create the model is XSLfast:
Data frames are arranged on a predefined working sheet. They are placeholders for images, text or database contents. You are free to design the arrangement and the relation of these frames; you also determine whether fields will contain static contents or dynamic contents.
The XSLfast user interface is divided into parts.
The menu bar:
Here the menus for the elements and all other menus with their submenus can be found. Parts of the menu will change or expand depending on the currently selected element on the sheet and are described later with their corresponding element.
The icon bar:
Like the menu bar, parts of the icon bar will change depending on the selected element. All elements can be placed on the sheet: click the icon and open a frame on the sheet by dragging the mouse. Also the basic file functions can be performed here (New, Open, Save, Save all, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete) and the generation of the output can be started.
The XML window:
After you selected an XML file, the file's structure is displayed in this window. The nodes can be opened and closed and can be dragged and dropped to the sheet with the mouse.
The inspector window with the element listbox:
This one belongs to the page. Depending on the currently selected element on the sheet, all its properties are displayed in the inspector window and can be modified here. They can be displayed in categories or in an alphabetic order. To view the alphabetic order, click the tab Alphabetic:
Element properties can also be found in the context menu, which opens after right clicking the mouse on a selected element.
Please note: A double click on an element offers to modify what should be displayed in the frame (the content); the right mouse click offers to modify how it should be displayed (the properties).
The working sheet:
This is the document page, which you fill and modify. All needed elements are placed onto this sheet and can be arranged as preferred. The horizontal and vertical rulers support the easy arrangement of the elements. The tab "Page grouping is not specified" indicates that the page has not been set into a relation with an XML file yet.
Each tab offers you a context menu with functions referring to saving or closing the current layout or all currently open layouts:
The element list box:
In this list box between XML window and inspector window all elements on the sheet are listed with either their default name or the name you give them. The element, which is currently selected, is displayed in the list box. It works both ways, if you select an element from the list box; it is selected on the sheet. This function is very helpful if you have very many different items on your sheet or if you placed elements outside the sheet because they depend on a condition and are only needed if the condition is fulfilled. If you select an element in the list box, it is selected, disregarding its place.
As we mentioned before, XSLfast is a WYSIWYG editor. This means the elements and their arrangement on the sheet are not realized via programming sources but via a graphic user interface. Choose the desired element type from the menu or the icon bar and place elements in different sizes on your sheet with the mouse.
You will achieve the complete range of functions and possibilities of XSLfast if you combine XSLfast with XSLT and XPath. Please find more information on XSLT and XPath in the specific literature.