Associating XSL files with XML files

You can associate an XSL file with an XML file. Associating an XSL file with an XML file provides the following benefits:

• When you want to create an XPath expression for the XSL file (using the XPath Expression wizard), you will not have to specify the XML file the XPath expression should be based on, as it will automatically be based on the XML file you have associated with your XSL file.

• Certain XSL wizards require an XML file to build their content from. If you have an XML file associated with your XSL file, you will not be prompted to specify an XML file when you launch the XSL wizard.

You can associate an XSL file with more than one XML file, with one of them set as the default (that is, the one that will automatically be used if you transform, debug, or add an XPath expression to the XSL file).

The following instructions were written for the Resource perspective, but they will also work in many other perspectives.

Follow these steps to associate an XML file with an XSL file:

1. In the Navigator view, right-click the XSL file and click Properties, then select Associations. You can also open your XSL file in the XSL editor and click XSL > Associate XML.

2. Click Add XML files. Select one or more XML files to associate with the XSL file, then click Finish.

3. The new associations will be listed in the XML files field. Any previously created associations will also be listed in this field.

4. If you no longer want an XML file to be associated with your XSL file, select it and click Remove.

5. You can change the default XML file by selecting it in from the Default XML file list. This is the file that is automatically used if you add an XPath expression to the XSL file or use XSL wizards with it.

6. Click OK.

 

Related tasks

Creating XSL files