Update to XPath Sandbox

As part of my project to create a tutorial for XML::LibXML, I created an XPath Sandbox tool that allows you to try out different XPath expressions directly in your browser. I've recently enhanced that tool to add a couple of useful features:

  • 'Upload'* your own XML files, and query them
  • Namespace support, including registering your own prefix mappings

When working with the built-in sample files, URL parameters can be used to: select a file, specify an XPath expression, override the def…

Update to XML::LibXML Tutorial

I've just updated my tutorial document Perl XML::LibXML by Example to include a section on Working With Large Documents.

This new section introduces the XML::LibXML::Reader API which is a pull-parser style with much lower memory overheads that a traditional DOM parser. It also covers hybrid operation where the Reader API is used to scan through the document and extract sections as DOM fragments for further interrogation via XPath.

User group topic: Script Spotlight

Wellington Perl Mongers had their monthly meeting this week and we tried something new that worked reasonably well so I thought I'd share it here. A little bit like lightning talks but with a more specific focus. From the announcement email ...

script-spotlight.png

A Tutorial for using LibXML from Perl

In my ongoing crusade to direct people away from XML::Simple and towards XML::LibXML, I've recently published a documentation project called "Perl XML::LibXML by Example". The primary target of this documentation is the desperate Perl hacker who might otherwise reach for XML::Simple without realising the awful horrors that module will inflict upon them. My hope is that by pointing people at this documentation we'll be able to help them solve their problems sooner and with less pain.

Is Perl still a useful, viable language?

Three years ago someone asked the question "Is Perl still a useful, viable language?" on programmers.stackexchange.com. I'm not sure what would happen to a "useful, viable language" over time that would cause it to not be that any more - but I'm obviously biased.

The thing that I find intriguing is that the referrer logs for the Map of CPAN show that every day, at least one person follows the link from that question to the mapofcpan site. Every…