XML Attributes -- MIDRANGE-L

Title: XML Attributes

I know this is not an XML forum, but since this thread seems to be acceptable, I'll continue. I've written some software to convert our DDS to an XML construct for communicating what used to be a display buffer to an NT. Due to a bug it generated a very large value between two tags. It then dawned on me that XML does not seem to allow a developer to describe the attributes of data. Whatever is between the tags seems to be it. So if a bug appears in a program and it generates a value between the tags of 9999999999999999 when in fact it should only be 99, then as far as XML is concerned, it's correct. At least with a 5250 data stream there seems to be some basic data type/structure checking done for you .

Is there some mysterious way that XML allows the developer to define some more sophisticated attributes than just a string of indeterminate length? (as long as it's between two "well-formed" tags?

Another example might be of an invoice amount. Does <amount>50000</amount> mean $500.00 or $50000?
The idea of XML is great. It's just that its implementation seems too simplistic.

Do I have to end up using special tags to encode a string which may have some meaning to code on the server? And that solution is no good if you want to deliver XML and it's style sheet directly to the browser.

-----Original Message-----
From:   Bruce.Odum@cbs.fiserv.com [mailto:Bruce.Odum@cbs.fiserv.com]
Sent:   Friday, 17 November 2000 4:32
To:     MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject:        Re: XML on the 400

If you want XML for the AS/400 and RPG go here http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com

This is what it supports

XML Interface for RPG, C and COBOL provides access to DOM and SAX level 1 APIs in RPG, C and COBOL programs. It allows procedural applications to create new or parse existing XML documents, facilitating the use of XML as both a datastore and IO mechanism in these languages.

hallp@ssax.com
11/16/00 12:16 PM

        To:     MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com @ INTERNET
        cc:     (bcc: Bruce Odum/US/FiservCBS)
        Subject:        Re: XML on the 400

Leif,

> Phil, what do you mean "the AS/400 has *supported* XML"?
> XML is only supported if you have a program interpreting it,
> such as a parser. what other program are you thinking of?

You write your own parser. Thus, the AS/400 "supports" (and I don't like the
word 'supports' either - it's not the right word in this context) XML from
day one.

It doesn't take much work, as I'm sure you are well aware, to write a basic
XML parser.

Writing a fully functional DOM parser, with DTD checking and validation is,
on the other hand, a different story and the main reason why in my IMHO back
in January on the MIDRAGE.COM web site I was annoyed with the lack of access
to the XML parser from ILE/RPG - you shouldn't really have to write your own
parser. This is now fixed, and also found on the alphaworks.ibm.com site is
wrappers for accessing the IBM DOM parser from within ILE/RPG.

--phil

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