XQuery/XSL-FO SVG

Motivation You want to convert XML into PDF and embed SVG graphics in the output. Method eXist since version 2 supports placing svg in fop rendered pdf out of the box, the only step being to activate the XSLFO module before building the source: echo "include.module.xslfo = true" > $EXIST_HOME/extensions/local.build.properties Beware: On headless *nix systems, make sure that there is no DISPLAY environment variable set, when eXist-db is started, otherwise the apache batik svg renderer may throw an exception. Sample XQuery Highlights of the xquery: The FO is created from an xsl transform: I know, this could be done with xquery, but I can reuse the xsl in other places. The document is found through a search. The xsl stylesheet resides in "views", as the pdf.xq does. I create lots of variables, but its better that way. Filename deduced from request. There may be errors, as I stripped down working code! It may be overly complicated due to my ignorance of xquery features. I think you will find your way. Application directory laid out as advised in the XRX wiki. let $host := "http://localhost:8080/exist/rest/" let $home := "/db/apps/myApp" let $match := collection(concat($home, "/data"))//item[@uuid=$uuid] let $coll := util:collection-name($match) let $file := util:document-name($match) let $xsls := concat($home, "/views/foPDF.xsl") let $rand := concat("?", util:random()) let $params := <parameters> <param name="svgfile" value="{$host}{$home}{$file}.svg"/> <param name="rand" value="{$rand}"/> </parameters> let $tmp := transform:transform(doc(concat($coll, "/", $file)), doc($xsls), $params) let $pdf := xslfo:render($tmp, "application/pdf", (), ()) (: substring-afer-last is in functx :) let $fname := substring-after(request:get-path-info(), "/") return response:stream-binary($pdf, "application/pdf", $fname) Another, possibly higher performance, way to source the svgfile by the xmldb:exist qualifier: let $host := "xmldb:exist://" Highlights of the XSL: <!-- passed in parameter, a fully qualified URI to the SVG file, eg: "http://localhost:8080/exist/rest//db/apps/myApp/data/Some.svg" or in exist-db "xmldb:exist///db/apps/myApp/data/Some.svg" --> <xsl:param name="svgfile" select="''"/> <!-- passed in parameter, value eg: "?123", changes with every call used to force fop to reread the svg file each time starts with ? to be discarded in the end... can be left blank to have fop cache the svgfile --> <xsl:param name="rand" select="''"/> <!-- place SVG in PDF output --> <fo:block-container> <fo:block> <fo:external-graphic src="{$svgfile}{$rand}"/> </fo:block> </fo:block-container>