XML editors

[Spacecadet]

Any XML editor recommendations.

I've used and almost enojyed XMLspy in the past but its a bit pricey for the amount of XML I do.
Any other recommendations from the panel (preferably free)

 

[blacjac]

If you have an MS Action Pack subscribtion then visual studio is OK, I've used it for hacking around with XML a few times and found it to be more than adequate.

 

[Spacecadet]

I've already got visual studio

Was after something with a bit more functionality... unless i'm not using VS properly?

 

[NickFitz]

I've use oXygen XML (primarily the Eclipse plugin, although the license also allows use of the desktop app) for several years, but primarily for the truly excellent XSLT debugger - if you don't need that, it may be a bit pricey.

Haven't tried any others in the last few years, due to Oxygen doing all I need.

 

[Durbs]

I've use oXygen XML (primarily the Eclipse plugin, although the license also allows use of the desktop app) for several years, but primarily for the truly excellent XSLT debugger - if you don't need that, it may be a bit pricey.

Haven't tried any others in the last few years, due to Oxygen doing all I need.

Whats its WSDL editor like, ever tried it?

Edit: actually, scratch that, just found the free trial link so gonna have a play.

 

[blacjac]

I've already got visual studio

Was after something with a bit more functionality... unless i'm not using VS properly?

I've only done basic stuff with it, but it could handle displaying an XML file through it's XSLT quite nicely.

 

[DiscoStu]

Notepad++ is pretty good if you're looking for something that's free.

 

[vetran]

M$ XML notepad a bit clunky but works ok

 

[NickFitz]

I've use oXygen XML (primarily the Eclipse plugin, although the license also allows use of the desktop app) for several years, but primarily for the truly excellent XSLT debugger - if you don't need that, it may be a bit pricey.

Adding to this is probably OT for this thread, but one of the beautiful features of the debugger is that you can set breakpoints in the XML file, and the XSLT debugger will stop when it processes that part of the input tree. This is an absolute godsend when you have a large input file whose processing only goes wonky for certain elements.

It may be that other XSLT debuggers can now do the same. Either way, if you're working with XSLT then you need this capability - maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life.

 

[xchaotic]

Adding to this is probably OT for this thread, but one of the beautiful features of the debugger is that you can set breakpoints in the XML file, and the XSLT debugger will stop when it processes that part of the input tree. This is an absolute godsend when you have a large input file whose processing only goes wonky for certain elements.

It may be that other XSLT debuggers can now do the same. Either way, if you're working with XSLT then you need this capability - maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life.

+1 for Oxygen

There was/is one more editor that's good for debugging XSL - StylusStudio, but I'm sticking with Oxygen as it's more universal and good for actual editing of XML.
lots of other useful features that I now treat as a given but are hard to find anywhere else really, like schema diagramming, NVDL, RNG support, XML db connectors so you can Xquery directly etc

I also had the pleasure of meeting one the developers of Oxygen and I really like their company structure 40 developers + an accountant, no middle management, no cruft and that's exactly the reason they're pumping major releases every six months or so. Excellent support etc.