fkater@googlemail.com wrote:[color=blue]
> we need to enter lots of data which are basicly descriptions of pc
> hardware configuration like this:
>
> Mainboard:
> vendor=...
> #of PCI slots=3
> slot 1
> graphic adapter
> vendor=...
> slot 2
> ...
> ...
>
> What I understand from XML & Co. is that an XML admin could define
> valid data structures (like: every mainboard must have RAM, but the
> number of RAM modules may be >1 etc.) with an XML editor.[/color]
Broadly speaking, yes. Whether it's an appropriate way to do data
entry is up to the application designer. XML is designed for text
data identity, storage, and transfer. Doing data entry with a
regular XML editor is probably not a good way to go.
[color=blue]
> My question is: if there is an editor for the user to enter data (like
> into fields of a database) who does not know anything about XML.[/color]
Yes, although it probably wouldn't be called an editor, more like a
data-entry front-end application. Editors tend to expose the structure
of XML fairly explicitly, which you don't want for novice use.
[color=blue]
> This
> editor should on the one hand take the admin's definitions of valid
> data from the XML structure, and on the other hand allow the user to
> enter data *only* the way it was defined before.
>
> So, I think we don't simply need an XML editor.[/color]
Right. You want a data-entry tool that saves the data as XML.
If indeed you want XML at all at this stage. A database with a
web front-end might be simpler.
///Peter
--
XML FAQ:
http://xml.silmaril.ie/
newbee: using XML to define how to enter data?
