Actually XML is the perfect storage format for semi-structured web form data the way we're using it.
The XML is stored in a document just like a Word, Excel or any other document type.
When the web form is presented, the XML is married up with a visual template and interacted with.
Once a form interaction is completed, the web form data is re-constituted into a stored XML document.
Where we found a disconnect was when a user wanted to use the XML data and update it from an RPG program there didn't seem to be a good way to do so.
Enter Java and viola instant XML Updates from an IBM i app call :)
Regards,
Richard Schoen
RJS Software Systems Inc.
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But XML has never originally been intended for frequently updates, it is an
intermediate data format between systems, so there is very seldom the need
to update part of an XML document.
That some today also uses XML to store properties is another thing, but
here we are in a very technical special area of programming that is very
seldom programmed in RPGLE and if it is, it will just receive a complete
new updated XML object back from the client.
The same must go for WEB FORMS where the browser either sends in a POST
with form fields or sends in an XML document - in first case recreate the
XML and store it, in second case just store the XML document.
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