Station Details Project
This was a self-education exercise in eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL) Tranformation (XSLT). XSL is a styling language for XML that defines how data will be displayed in another format.
The aim was to create a dynamic XML-based webpage showing the details of our weather station to replace the existing static webpage. It was intended that our PWS software would routinely generate the XML document at regular intervals.
Project Stages
The following stages were identified as key elements of the project:
- Match variables with the required station and instrument details,
- Create the XML template file and XML Schema Definition (XSD) document to specify the structure of the new Station Details Document,
- Create an XSL document to specify how the XML data would be displayed in a web browser.
Project Variables
The variables used in this project are listed below. Select a variable to view the complete XML element definition, including: the element name and description, the expected data type, the permitted values where explicitly defined, and whether the element is mandatory or optional.
The variables in the template file are replaced with the equivalent output tags from the PWS software. If a variable has no equivalent output tag from the PWS software, the options are to: (1) create a user-defined output tag for the PWS software containing the appropriate value, or (2) replace the variable in the template file with the appropriate value. If an optional variable is permanently unavailable, the template file is edited as per this example - replace <foo>%variable%</foo> with <foo />.
- %24hr_time%
- %absolute_path_to_photo%
- %altitude%
- %automated_obs%
- %climate_zone%
- %common_name%
- %country%
- %description_of_subject%
- %international_date%
- %instrument_manufacturer%
- %instrument_model%
- %instrument_location%
- %instrument_operational%
- %instrument_role%
- %instrument_type%
- %latitude%
- %longitude%
- %program_name%
- %program_description%
- %program_version%
- %pws_type%
- %station_name%
- %station_opened%
- %site_rating%
- %station_status%
- %timezone%
- %unit_height%
- %unit_pressure%
- %unit_rain%
- %unit_temperature%
- %unit_wind_speed%
XML Schema Definition
View the XSD diagram for this project.
Project Status
This 2020 project successfully achieved its aims and is operational. View our Station Details & Instrumentation using the Station Details Document. The project remains open for possible further development.
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