Abstract: An XML system is configured to print bar code labels, tags, tickets, cards, or other media, and/or encode RFID devices embedded in media, based upon an extensible markup language (XML) input data stream. The XML system includes a computer system operatively coupled to a network. The computer system further includes an XML processor configured to receive, parse, and process an XML input data stream and obtain schema identified in the XML data stream from a schema repository. The XML processor validates the XML data stream based upon the schema obtained. Also included is an XSLT processor configured to obtain a stylesheet identified in the XML data stream from a stylesheet repository. The XSLT processor transforms data in the XML input data stream into transformed XML data based upon the stylesheet obtained. Also, an XSLFO processor formats the transformed XML data into formatted XML data based upon XSLFO instructions contained in the stylesheet.