Many people use web spreadsheets as if using their desktop counterparts: to keep contacts, track progress, book-keeping, etc., with the exception that they’re more accessible. However, with the help of a technology called XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations), web spreadsheets can really be something out of your imagination.

XSLT is a technology dating back to the late 90’s. According to the specification, it is “a language for transforming XML documents into other XML documents”. But it has never been limited to generate XML documents only. At least from the examples given, it can be used to generate VRML documents which is non-XML.

So, how is the whole thing related to web spreadsheets?

Spreadsheet is basically a two-dimensional array of data, which can be represented in XML easily (example here: [orig] [XML]). One can create or download an XSLT stylesheet and transform the data into a format that is readable by other computer programs. That could be a mass-mailing engine reading vCal feeds, FireFox reading RSS live bookmarks, or Google Calendar reading iCal files. If you are a GIS zealot, you may be interested plotting spots and paths onto Google Maps. With the multi-user, live editing capability of web spreadsheets, you now have a collaborative, live data backend on the web for many different kinds of services.

Following are some examples can be created by web spreadsheet plus XSLT, can you think more?

1. KML for Google Maps and Google Earth

- It is how GIS zealots using EditGrid!

Valery’s Spreadsheet: http://www.editgrid.com/user/valery35/Locations

XSLT Stylesheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Locations.paths.kml.xsl

KML file: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Locations.paths.kml

Here is what you get on Google Maps: http://maps.google.com/…/Locations.paths.kml

2. iCal for Apple iCal

- Import spreadsheet to calendar programs - besides Apple iCal, it also works with MS Outlook/ Google Calendar and Mozilla Calendar!

Spreadsheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/EditGrid_Release_Schedule

XSLT Stylesheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/EditGrid_Release_Schedule.ics.xsl

ICS file: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/EditGrid_Release_Schedule.ics

Result on Google Calendar: http://www.google.com/…/EditGrid_Release_Schedule.ics

3. RSS Live Bookmark for Mozilla FireFox

- With this, together with remote data fetch, all data on web can be read by RSS…

Spreadsheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Bookmark

XSLT Stylesheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Bookmark.rss.xsl

Result in Google Reader: http://www.google.com/reader/…/Bookmark.rss

4. Music Playlist for different music players

- Which player you’re using?

Playlist spreadsheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Songs

For Winamp, XMMS, Realplayer and Window Media Player - Try this:

XSLT Stylesheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Songs.m3u.xsl

Result: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Songs.m3u (P.S. M3U also support many other different players)

For other playlist formats, like M3U Ext., PLS, SMIL and XSPF, goes here and you will found all these formats available.

5. FusionCharts

- Well, we never limit your choice to create charts

Spreadsheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Oil_Production

XSLT Spreadsheet: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Demo_of_My_Data_Format

Result: http://www.editgrid.com/doc/xslt/Oil_Production/World!E1?content-type=text/html

Let see how our users use EditGrid with XSLT, with their expert knowledge + imagination, here are some examples of what happening in EditGrid commuity — showing the unlimited possibility:

http://bbs.keyhole.com/…Number=593848

http://semant.blogspot.com/../adding-triples-using-editgrid.html

http://bbs.keyhole.com/…/Main/609661/

http://www.digitalgeography.co.uk/…the-possibilities-are-endless/

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 15th, 2006 at 3:13 pm and is filed under Ideas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.