XML

Nowadays, XML is the native format of many applications, Oracle APEX for example, partly bases its reporting systen on XML. Middleware as Oracle BPEL, SAP PI, IBM Websphere and of course many Web services are also XML based. XML is also being used as exchange format in business to business transactions, for example for e-Invoicing. In these and many other environments there is often the need to create PDF files from XML.

XSL-FO

In the past PDF files would be created using proprietary reporting tools that would use a database as data source. Additionally these tools are programming language specific. Later on the XSL-FO standard allowed for a better way to do it in many cases.

What is new about XSL-FO?
- it is programming language neutral.
- it is a standard so you are not tied to a vendor.
- it uses XML as data source.

Apache FOP

One implementation of the XSL-FO standard is Apache FOP. One important aspect about this implementation is that the Apache license model allows to use it in commercial environment.

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I was intrigued about all the buzz around the Rails framework and the Ruby language, so I thought it was the time to check it out by myself and start by learning Ruby. So, as I usually do, I assigned myself some specific learning task: in this case porting the J4L barcoding software from PHP (which in turn was ported from Java).

Here's the result
(only 1D barcodes at the moment)

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• WebbyFiles is one of my own projects. What is it?. Discover by yourself: enter the demo and waste some of your time playing with it in the “Tests” folder.
• In recent years I worked in the development of the server software that provides content to the TomTom HOME desktop software . If you have a TomTom, it’s quite likely that you have been using this software to manage and update your device. If you did, know that millions have done so, but from now on you’re part of the selected group that know that I did something for them!.
• I occasionally develop web sites, this is one that I’m proud of, in collaboration with a friend graphical designer.
• Besides my own software, I also distribute software from others. Most of it is under the J4L components brand. Of those, I ported all barcoding components from Java to PHP. These are: multiple 1D barcodes, PDF147, DataMatrix, MaxiCode, AztecCode and QRCode (you have on-line demos of them all).

Let's be clear about this: this post is not for humans. Seriously, if you are human and reached this point please stop reading here, as this post is only for robots, thank you.

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