Altova Introduces Version 2007 Release 3 of its Product Line

Extended database functionality. XMLSpy 2007r3provides a new quick-connect wizard and database query window, allowing usersto connect to all major databases, view the structure of their databases, andquery them from within XMLSpy using SQL or SQL/XML. Additional newfunctionality (reserved for IBM DB2 9 in this release) enables the directexecution of XQuery statements against databases, as well as the ability toregister XML Schemas and open and edit XML content in databases.

Microsoft Office 2007 Open XML support. Withsupport for the burgeoning Office Open XML standard, XMLSpy 2007r3 can extract,edit, and transform XML data saved in the new Microsoft Office 2007 defaultdocument format. Entry helpers are included for editing data in Word and Excelfiles, and users can execute XSLT and XQuery transformations on the data,giving them a head start in developing applications that use and process whatis sure to become the predominant business data format.

Comprehensive cascading stylesheet (CSS) editor.While the XMLSpy advanced text view has always supported editing cascadingstylesheet (CSS) files, it is now a full-featured CSS editor with syntaxcoloring, context-sensitive entry helper windows and drop-down menus, andscreen tips. Entry helpers provide available CSS properties, HTML elements, anda CSS outline with defined stylesheet rules and classes.

Enhanced XML Schema and WSDL documentation.XMLSpy s capabilities for documenting XML Schemas and Web service descriptionlanguage (WSDL) files now provide the ability to save files in rich text format(RTF) and create diagrams in enhanced meta-file (EMF) format (a vector graphicsformat with enhanced zooming and printing capabilities).

XSLT 1.0 profiler. In addition to support forXSLT 2.0 and XQuery, XMLSpy 2007r3 allows profiling XSLT 1.0 code. With theXSLT 1.0 profiler, users are able to monitor and record detailed metrics foreach processing instruction executed during an XSLT transformation to helpquickly identify and eliminate bottlenecks.

Integration of database XML fields. Users canmap XML data directly to and from XML-enabled databases by assigning an XMLSchema to the data (exclusive to IBM DB2 9 databases in this release). MapForcethen renders the schema as a sub-tree of the database field for direct mappingwith disparate data formats via its visual drag-and-drop interface.

Enhanced database connectivity. MapForce nowincludes a quick-connect wizard to easily access, preview, and integratedatabase data. A new database query window is also provided, enabling users todirectly analyze SQL data.

Extended data filtering functionality. Adding toits extensive library of data processing functions, MapForce now supports theSQL-WHERE filter, which allows for precise, high-performance filtering ofdatabase sources used in data mapping projects. A SQL statement wizard aids inwriting statements to filter database data that will be used as a source indata mapping projects.

Superior database support. StyleVision now worksdirectly with XML data stored inside XML-enabled databases (limited to IBM DB29 in this release). Users simply associate database XML fields with XML Schemas,then drag defined data elements onto the design panefor rendering and publishing.

Table of contents capability. A new table ofcontents (TOC) capability makes StyleVision 2007r3 attractive for publishinglarge documents that have source content in XML or databases and require tablesof contents when output to HTML, Word, and/or PDF. A context-sensitive right-clickmenu and wizard allow users to tag items in a design for inclusion in the TOC.

Formatting Objects Processor 0.93. StyleVisionnow supports the latest Apache formatting objects processor (FOP) forprocessing XSL-FO stylesheets to produce PDF output from XML and/or databasecontent. As with the previous Apache processor, FOP 0.93 is available as a freedownload from the Altova Web site.

Design fragment reuse. StyleVision 2007r3provides a new design fragment capability that lets users save a set offormatting rules as a template and re-use that template throughout a design, asrequired.

Automated generation of project documentation.This new feature allows users to create development project documentation inHTML, Word, or RTF formats. UModel 2007r3 users can apply settings to specifydocumentation contents, including UML diagrams, elements, and the level ofdetail to be included.

XML Schema reverse-engineering enhancements.Adding to UModel s unique ability to reverse engineer XML Schema design (XSD)files into UML-style diagrams, v2007r3 supportsdocumentation of include and import statements. For increased compatibilitywith the advanced schema design and editing capabilities of XMLSpy, UModel nowsupports the same OASIS catalog files as XMLSpy.

UML diagram enhancements. UModel 2007r3 includesa new Hierarchy helper window that can instantly display the relationshiphierarchy of a class, allowing users to see properties and operations inheritedfrom a parent or the existence of offspring. Additionally, UModel now supportsthe use of frames and headings in UML diagrams.

Database browser XML support. XML Schemasregistered in XML-enabled databases are now displayed in DatabaseSpy s onlinebrowser database tree in hierarchical form (only for IBM DB2 9 in thisrelease). Table columns that contain XML data are also shown in the databasetree, and the online browser indicates any XML Schemas used to validate them.Additionally, XML Schemas shown in DatabaseSpy can now be sent directly toXMLSpy for editing in its schema design view.

Design editor XML enhancements. New columnscontaining XML data can now be added to database tables via the DatabaseSpy designeditor (exclusively for IBM DB2 9 in this release). v2007r3also provides detailed access to properties of XML datatypes stored in anyXML-enabled database.

Customization of SQL auto-completion suggestions.DatabaseSpy 2007r3 lets users modify its auto-completion suggestion menu tocreate a customized list. This speeds SQL editing by keeping auto-completionpop-up lists to a manageable size, while offering only the suggestionsindividual users prefer.

Graphical display of XML instances. SchemaAgent nowallows users to connect to and display XML instance documents and theirconnections to XML Schemas and MapForce data mapping projects in thegraphical design view. This allows for a comprehensive view of data connectionsand interdependencies and allows developers to immediately see which XMLinstance(s) will be affected when a change is made to the corresponding XMLSchema.

Office Open XML support.Like XMLSpy 2007r3, AltovaXML now supports the new Microsoft Office 2007default document format, Open XML. AltovaXML 2007r3 is currently the onlyXSLT/XQuery engine that provides the ability to repurpose and re-use the vastamount of user data that will be created in Office 2007. Because AltovaXML isoffered under a free software license, developers can use it within their ownapplications to extract and execute XSLT and XQuery transformations on OfficeOpen XML data at no charge.

Significant speed increase in XSLT 1.0 processor.With a significant speed increase in v2007r3, users can now executetransformations up to seven times faster than the previous AltovaXMLimplementation to greatly reduce XSLT processing time. This performance claimis based on Altova s internal testing. User results are dependent on a numberof factors, including system configuration, and may vary accordingly.