Chapter 3: XML Documents

Overview

Before you can start working with XML content in Flash, you have to create the XML documents that youll be using. This chapter looks at the different ways you can do this. Ill show you how you can generate content in a text or XML editor, from Office 2003 and by consuming web services. Ill have a quick look at querying Amazon and Google and receiving XML responses. Youll build applications that work with web services later in the book.

Ill also look at how you can transform XML documents using CSS and XSL style sheets. Ill cover creating Document Type Definitions (DTDs) and schemas that describe the rules for your XML documents. At the end of the chapter, well create an XML document and schema that well use in an application in the next chapter.

Remember that an XML document doesnt have to be a physical file. Theres nothing to stop you from creating a text file with an .xml extension to store your XML content, and well look at different ways to do this. However, the term XML document can also refer to XML information that comes from a software package or web application.