XML support in the DataWindow painter

PowerBuilder supports
both the export and import of XML in DataStore and DataWindow objects using
XML template objects. You construct XML templates for export and
import graphically in the Export/Import Template view for
XML. Each template you create is encapsulated in the DataWindow object.
A template enables you to specify the XML logical structure of how
the row data iterates inside the root element of the XML document.

The possible uses of this feature include the following:

• You can code events in data entry or data reporting
  applications to export selected data values, or the entire contents
  of a DataWindow object, to a structured XML document. The structure
  of the XML document can be customized for use by other internal
  or external applications, processes, or systems.
• You can add a method to a custom class user object
  that uses DataStore objects for server-side database processing
  or middle-tier management of a client-side DataWindow object. The
  method would export data to XML, which could then be processed by
  a different component or subsystem, such as an Enterprise JavaBeans
  component or a Web service.
• A similar method could be added to a Web application
  that uses a Web DataWindow. The method might be invoked by a user
  action, such as selecting checkout in a shopping cart application.

XML services In addition to the support for XML in the DataWindow painter,
PowerBuilder also provides the PowerBuilder Document Object Model
(PBDOM). For more information, see the chapter on XML services in Application
Techniques
.

Export templates

An XML export template lets you customize the XML that is
generated.

You can specify optional XML and document type declarations
that precede the root element in the exported XML, as well as the
logical structure and nesting level of iterative DataWindow row
data inside the root element. The children of the root element can
contain elements, character references, and processing instructions
as well as the row data, using explicit markup. For more information,
see “Header and Detail sections”.

If the exported XML is used by different applications or processes,
you can define a separate export template for each use.

Import templates

You need to create an import template if you want to import
data that does not match the DataWindow column definition or is
associated with a schema, or if you want to import attribute values.

Only the mapping of column names to element and attribute
names is used for import. All other information in the template
is ignored.

Validating XML

XML export and import do
not validate the data after export or before import. You can use
the XMLParseFile and XMLParseString functions
to validate an XML file or string against a DTD or XML schema before
proceeding with additional processing. If no DTD or schema is included
or referenced, XMLParseFile and XMLParseString check
whether the content is well-formed XML.

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