Re: XML Parsing and other fine songs of the south

Hello  Andrew,

Because one of our clients sends us his order in XML format, I looked at the 
AlphaWorks XML Parser (downloaded XML4PR400), and run the sample RPG programme 
of a previous download (It was mentioned in another thread). My first 
impressions?

For a conversion from a text XML-document to a file on the AS/400 you can 
better write something in RPG: you can access files on the IFS with the 
UNIX-type API's, scan for the tags, create 2 or 3 PF's to define the XML 
schemes on the AS/400 (I wish IBM intend to use DDS to define XML schemes on 
the AS/400), etc.

Running the sample in debug, you have to call a number of API's to retrieve one 
tagname. It is a similar thing in Java with the SET- and GET-functions. The 
sample is not intuitive and the former mentioned solution is easier to 
implement.

Because the RPG code is a set of wrappers to C++ API's (object oriented) a good 
explanation of what a call actually is doing, has been omitted. The 
documentation in HTML list the API's with some technical info. There is nowhere 
to find a text which tells you, which API's to call (and in what order) for a 
simple conversion.

Just my two Euro cents.

Carel Teijgeler

======= At 2002-07-26, 16:37:00 you wrote: =======

>OK I'm in a quagmire finding out what could be the better way to perform 
>simple/complex XML parsing in OS/400
>
>I have
>1) Downloaded the latest Alphaworks code - which has theoretically been 
>re-branded as 5733-XT1 however when I asked my BP about this, he wasn't able 
>to find it - oh and IBM is now charging (are you ready) $250 for these XML 
>tools.  Again - from what I read of the Docs, it looks tastes and smells 
>exactly like the FREE Alphaworks samples
>2) DB2 Extenders for iSeries - fascinating product, but the documentation is 
>terrible - half the time, I'm editing files on the PC, running commands on the 
>PC that really execute SQL's on the 400 etc... basically you spend 4 hours 
>looking like your making an intricate model car <some of you will know the 
>look I'm talking about> and in the end, you get an obscure error (QICU library 
>not found?) which isn't addressed in the documentation.
>3) Write it yourself - my string skills are fine - I can look for XML tags 
>like mad...
>4) Use Java and SQL for all file IO - pluses and minuses for this method but 
>MAN in a ROOM filled with RPG people, you'd think I could find a simple parser
>
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