The Benefits of XML

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XML has revolutionized data interchange. Whereas complicated fixed-length record files used to be coded to trade information back and forth between applications and companies, many applications now accept XML files that are both more readable by humans and less prone to error.

Fixed-length and delimited file formats might be more compact, but XML offers several advantages. First, when combined with a DTD, an XML document is self-descriptive and self-verifying . That is, the fields give you information about their content, and the DTD describes the valid ordering of the elements so that you can make sure that the document is correctly structured. A file of fixed-length fields doesn't give you any useful information unless you already understand the format that the file was created with.

Furthermore, XML is now widely supported by many tools, from browsers to editors to Java class libraries. This means that, rather than keep reinventing the wheel, you can concentrate on the processing rather than the formatting of the data.

XML is being used in other ways as well, such as with XSL to create content. In this chapter, however, you'll focus on using XML to import and export data from applications. A knowledge of basic XML and DTD format will help a great deal in getting through this material.

I l @ ve RuBoard


MySQL and JSP Web Applications. Data-Driven Programming Using Tomcat and MySQL
MySQL and JSP Web Applications: Data-Driven Programming Using Tomcat and MySQL
ISBN: 0672323095
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2002
Pages: 203
Authors: James Turner

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