Introduction
This tutorial is for developers who need to add XSL transformations to their Java applications. It describes the process of installing, configuring, and testing the Xalan-Java XSL Transformation engine, version 2.4.1.
This tutorial covers only the installation of Xalan and not its use. To understand and work through this tutorial, familiarity with Java or XSL is not required.
Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) allows for easy transformation of XML into other formats, including other XML documents. An XSL processor is necessary to perform these transformations.
This tutorial describes the process necessary for installing, configuring, and testing the Xalan-Java XSL Transformation processor. Xalan, used in IBM products such as WebSphere Application Server, is the descendant of LotusXSL, created by Lotus and IBM and maintained by the original developers and the Apache Project.
Installing Xalan-J involves preparing the environment by obtaining an appropriate Java Virtual Machine, setting environment variables, and installing the files. After installation, you can set other environment variables, such as CLASSPATH.
The tools necessary for this tutorial depend greatly on the platform and existing or installed software.
- A Java Virtual Machine: A JVM, such as the IBM Java machine or Sun's JDK, must be installed and working on the target machine. Links to JVMs for various platforms are listed in Resources.
- The Xalan-Java 2.4.1 binary files: Apache provides pre-compiled files, so you don't need the source files. Download the binaries from http://apache.osuosl.org/xml/xalan-j/.




