How Dynamic News Works: Bird's Eye View

Generating XML Documents to Build HTML Pages

Dynamic News generates XML documents to build HTML pages:

• Static Pages: Built from XML documents pregenerated at intervals set by the news system administrator.

• Semi-Dynamic Pages: Built from pregenerated XML documents that list the items in categories chosen by the user.

• Dynamic Pages: Built on demand from XML documents that list items by categories, subcategories, and types chosen by the user.

Figure 6-1 gives an overview of how Dynamic News performs these steps:

1. Calls Oracle XML-SQL Utility (XSU) . This queries the database for news items and writes the results to an XML document. This happens as follows:
   • In batch mode for Static pages

   • In batch mode for Semi-Dynamic pages

   • On demand for Dynamic pages

2. Uses the XSL-T Processor of the Oracle XML Parser for Java to transform the XML into HTML via one of three XSL stylesheets: one for Netscape Navigator, one for Internet Explorer, or a general stylesheet for all other browsers.

3. Delivers the HTML page to the user through a Web server.

Figure 6-1 Dynamic News