bja888 — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 20:47:35 +0000

I have seen "dataset" here and there but the only time I used it. I like it much better now. I even figured out how to skip around and pull specific data. Next step... RSS!
Speaking of which... how does the browser know to put that rss icon in the corner?

JeevesBond — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 19:00:19 +0000

Quote: I believe even datasets in .NET are actually XML.

Ah, so .NET truly is run by XML. I guess MS did do a lot of the development behind XML so makes sense.

bja888 — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 14:24:05 +0000

After doing a little research on appending xml I found its usefull if you use a ton of data types that I would of never though existed.
XmlDocument
XmlNode
XmlNodeList
XmlElement

Where I was just streaming it like a text file...
XmlTextReader
XmlTextWriter

I think I like it a little better now

timjpriebe — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 11:19:42 +0000

bja, I believe even datasets in .NET are actually XML.

bja888 — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 21:28:54 +0000

JeevesBond wrote:
There are many parsers for it as well, I've not used .NET much so don't know what the interface is like, is it really any better than writing a text file? And does it provide what you need to write/validate Vs. a DTD?

I still have no clue what a DTD is....its really isnt the diffrent from writing to a text file but it does take away the consirn that there is a extra space right before the line break. That messes everything up. I will be doing more research in xml at a later date. Might even take a class, right now though I need to get optimalsource off the ground so I can have some form of income...
I am awake for 16 hours at a time (and still get 10 hours of sleep) just tring to get some form of income that will use my talents. I will worry about the details when I get time. As for now though... I can add more letters to my resume.

JeevesBond — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 20:22:34 +0000

Hmmm, XML isn't really like a database, it's also not designed to be a replacement for one either. As you noted bja it's just a flat text file, what makes it more useful than a simple text file is the standard behind it, versatility but still a consistent set of rules.

There are many parsers for it as well, I've not used .NET much so don't know what the interface is like, is it really any better than writing a text file? And does it provide what you need to write/validate Vs. a DTD?

bja888 — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 16:31:16 +0000

I noticed it was real easy to write data into an xml file (via asp.net). But I expected something equivalent to a database when retrieving the data. It’s a good idea to make a plain text based standard so I am in the process of converting to the xml format.
Sorry if that doesnt make since... up all night writeing code and its hard to gater my thoughts.

Megan — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 13:17:51 +0000

XML has a lot of great applications. RSS is XML. It's a great way of formatting data so it can be read in different systems. In education, for example, we create learning objects. These are stand-alone learning tools, often created in Flash or director or just html & javascript. Universities like to share these things to they don't always have to be creating them themselves (expensive and time consuming process) so there are various groups and repositories where people can go to trade or borrow learning objects. They are working on devising an xml schema for learning objects that would allow them to be plugged into different repositores with descriptive data attached (such as author, learning objectives, technolgoies required etc.). The problem is they can't decide on what the standard should be!

bja888 — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 02:08:42 +0000

I'm not clameing to know everything. And I have no clue what a dtd is. Its just I havent seen anything in my search to suggest xml is any more usefull then a text file.

JeevesBond — Tue, 23 Aug 2005 12:01:36 +0000

Sounds like you need to get back to basics and indeed use a text file, you can't have learnt everything about XML in a couple of hours. Trust me I have a massive, thick book on the subject that I've spent days reading and still don't profess to have a true understanding of the subject.

If you know XML then what does this mean? You should be able to read and understand that document.