Can anyone tell me what MS XML is used for?

[salad]

XML seems to be a hot technology buzzword. And it appears XML is
supported in A2003.

I am wondering if it could be used in the following scenario. I create
an order record for the customer. This customer is one I do a lot of
business with. I could create an email to send him a copy of the order.
A more preferable approach would be to transfer to the customer the
order and order items parts which could then be imported/used to update
their database system.

Is that possible with XML?

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Salad.

Is that possible with XML?

Yes. However, most folks use CSV files to transfer the data, 'cause it's
even simpler and takes less bandwidth.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
Blog: http://DataDevilDog.BlogSpot.com
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/ex...ributors2.html for contact
info.
"salad" <oi*@vinegar.co mwrote in message
news:5t******** ***********@new sread3.news.pas .earthlink.net. ..

XML seems to be a hot technology buzzword. And it appears XML is
supported in A2003.

I am wondering if it could be used in the following scenario. I create an
order record for the customer. This customer is one I do a lot of
business with. I could create an email to send him a copy of the order. A
more preferable approach would be to transfer to the customer the order
and order items parts which could then be imported/used to update their
database system.

Is that possible with XML?

[rkc]

salad wrote:

XML seems to be a hot technology buzzword. And it appears XML is
supported in A2003.

I am wondering if it could be used in the following scenario. I create
an order record for the customer. This customer is one I do a lot of
business with. I could create an email to send him a copy of the order.
A more preferable approach would be to transfer to the customer the
order and order items parts which could then be imported/used to update
their database system.

Is that possible with XML?

Since the advent of ADODB you have been able to save a recordset
to a file and email it to someone to be reopened as a recordset
on their end. The format used to save the recordset is xml.

[salad]

rkc wrote:

salad wrote:

>XML seems to be a hot technology buzzword. And it appears XML is
supported in A2003.

I am wondering if it could be used in the following scenario. I
create an order record for the customer. This customer is one I do a
lot of business with. I could create an email to send him a copy of
the order. A more preferable approach would be to transfer to the
customer the order and order items parts which could then be
imported/used to update their database system.

Is that possible with XML?

Since the advent of ADODB you have been able to save a recordset
to a file and email it to someone to be reopened as a recordset
on their end. The format used to save the recordset is xml.

I probably gave a poor example, rkc. I was thinking more on the lines
of an debit card transaction. I go to a store, select an item to
purchase. I swipe my card, answer a couple of questions (in my
situation I could pass those as parameters to the "bank"), the bank
processes the request, and returns a string of data the tells the store
I've been approved, etc.

Emails would add a layer of complexity to the issue. Maybe not so
complex but adds a layer where the person has to go into the email and
perhaps save the email or attachment to a folder for processing.

A CSV file, like Gunny mentioned, would be just fine. I'd prefer to
have a communication thread with the computer with little to none in the
way of user intervention.

[David W. Fenton]

salad <oi*@vinegar.co mwrote in
news:cp******** ***********@new sread4.news.pas .earthlink.net:

Emails would add a layer of complexity to the issue. Maybe not so
complex but adds a layer where the person has to go into the email
and perhaps save the email or attachment to a folder for
processing.

A CSV file, like Gunny mentioned, would be just fine. I'd prefer
to have a communication thread with the computer with little to
none in the way of user intervention.

Look into examples of using the MS XML libraries. This can allow you
to post and retrieve data directly to and from a web page (assuming
there's a script on the web page to handle the transaction and
return the desired results). If I'm remembering correctly, Douglas
Steele has done quite a bit with this and published articles
explaining how it's done. I haven't done it myself, but I'm going to
implement my first such project using it in the next month or so.

--
David W. Fenton http://www.dfenton.com/
usenet at dfenton dot com http://www.dfenton.com/DFA/

[salad]

David W. Fenton wrote:

salad <oi*@vinegar.co mwrote in
news:cp******** ***********@new sread4.news.pas .earthlink.net:

>>Emails would add a layer of complexity to the issue. Maybe not so
complex but adds a layer where the person has to go into the email
and perhaps save the email or attachment to a folder for
processing.

A CSV file, like Gunny mentioned, would be just fine. I'd prefer
to have a communication thread with the computer with little to
none in the way of user intervention.

Look into examples of using the MS XML libraries.

Hi David:
Appreciate your POV. Are you referring to Access help? Or an MS KB
article?

This can allow you

to post and retrieve data directly to and from a web page (assuming
there's a script on the web page to handle the transaction and
return the desired results). If I'm remembering correctly, Douglas
Steele has done quite a bit with this and published articles
explaining how it's done. I haven't done it myself, but I'm going to
implement my first such project using it in the next month or so.

I wish you success and maybe you will share your experiences.

Maybe I'm approaching this wrong. I'll provide another example.

I use Norton Anti-virus. I can open up Norton and check to see if there
are new virus definitions. It will return to my computer the newest
definitions if they exist.

A better example tho would be using the web site. Let's say I have a
quotes system. I open up a web page at HandBagsRUs.com for their
catalog. If needed, I could pass to it username/password to it. At
that time the system knows who I am, who my salesperson is at the
company, what discount rates I get, etc.

I go an select the handbags I want to order and sell. Once I have made
my selections, perhaps by adding them to a shopping cart, I submit my
request for those items, maybe specify this is a quote or PO.

The computer over at HandBagsRUs.com churns away for a second or two and
now has my quote. It can return the results to the web page. I really
don't want that. What I would like is the electronic results be sent to
my computer...if that is possible.

Maybe the results could be returned to me via FTP? Would that be a
better solution?

It would be great if the results could simply be dumped on my computer
and my program could parse the results out.

Some web sites do something "close". The quote might be generated and
then reside at the vendors site. This is pretty much useless. They can
have our quote on their machine but I want the quote on my machine as well.

So I am looking for a communcation from the vendor I can use to update
my application. I believe XML is used to communicate between computers
and was wondering if it could be used in a manner I described. If FTP
is a more doable option that would be great too.

[Gord]

>So I am looking for a communcation from the vendor I can use to update my

>application.

Are you looking to build some kind of "live update" mechanism so your
application can retrieve updates over the web? If so, then why didn't
you just say that from the outset?

>I believe XML is used to communicate between computers and was

wondering if it could be used in a manner I described. If FTP is a
more doable
option that would be great too.

Now you are starting to discuss apples and oranges.

XML is a file format, as is CSV. CSV is simpler and more compact but it
also corresponds to just a single table. XML is more complex but is
also more flexible in that it can describe parent/child relationships
in data, e.g.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Document>
<Purchase_Order >
<PO_Number>1000 0</PO_Number>
<PO_Line_Item >
<Item_Number> 1</Item_Number>
<SKU>FOO123</SKU>
<Quantity>3</Quantity>
</PO_Line_Item>
<PO_Line_Item >
<Item_Number> 2</Item_Number>
<SKU>BAR234</SKU>
<Quantity>5</Quantity>
</PO_Line_Item>
</Purchase_Order>
<Purchase_Order >
<PO_Number>1000 1</PO_Number>
<PO_Line_Item >
<Item_Number> 1</Item_Number>
<SKU>BAZ345</SKU>
<Quantity>21</Quantity>
</PO_Line_Item>
</Purchase_Order>
</Document>
FTP is a transfer protocol, as is HTTP. Both protocols can transmit
data in different formats (such as CSV, XML, HTML, ...).

salad wrote:

David W. Fenton wrote:

salad <oi*@vinegar.co mwrote in
news:cp******** ***********@new sread4.news.pas .earthlink.net:

>Emails would add a layer of complexity to the issue. Maybe not so
complex but adds a layer where the person has to go into the email
and perhaps save the email or attachment to a folder for
processing.

A CSV file, like Gunny mentioned, would be just fine. I'd prefer
to have a communication thread with the computer with little to
none in the way of user intervention.

Look into examples of using the MS XML libraries.

Hi David:
Appreciate your POV. Are you referring to Access help? Or an MS KB
article?

This can allow you

to post and retrieve data directly to and from a web page (assuming
there's a script on the web page to handle the transaction and
return the desired results). If I'm remembering correctly, Douglas
Steele has done quite a bit with this and published articles
explaining how it's done. I haven't done it myself, but I'm going to
implement my first such project using it in the next month or so.

I wish you success and maybe you will share your experiences.

Maybe I'm approaching this wrong. I'll provide another example.

I use Norton Anti-virus. I can open up Norton and check to see if there
are new virus definitions. It will return to my computer the newest
definitions if they exist.

A better example tho would be using the web site. Let's say I have a
quotes system. I open up a web page at HandBagsRUs.com for their
catalog. If needed, I could pass to it username/password to it. At
that time the system knows who I am, who my salesperson is at the
company, what discount rates I get, etc.

I go an select the handbags I want to order and sell. Once I have made
my selections, perhaps by adding them to a shopping cart, I submit my
request for those items, maybe specify this is a quote or PO.

The computer over at HandBagsRUs.com churns away for a second or two and
now has my quote. It can return the results to the web page. I really
don't want that. What I would like is the electronic results be sent to
my computer...if that is possible.

Maybe the results could be returned to me via FTP? Would that be a
better solution?

It would be great if the results could simply be dumped on my computer
and my program could parse the results out.

Some web sites do something "close". The quote might be generated and
then reside at the vendors site. This is pretty much useless. They can
have our quote on their machine but I want the quote on my machine as well.

So I am looking for a communcation from the vendor I can use to update
my application. I believe XML is used to communicate between computers
and was wondering if it could be used in a manner I described. If FTP
is a more doable option that would be great too.

[salad]

Gord wrote:

>>So I am looking for a communcation from the vendor I can use to update my
application .

Are you looking to build some kind of "live update" mechanism so your
application can retrieve updates over the web?

Live would be fine. I don't know if it is possible.

If so, then why didn't you just say that from the outset?

If one doesn't know exactly what to ask...

>

>>I believe XML is used to communicate between computers and was

wondering if it could be used in a manner I described. If FTP is a
more doable option that would be great too.

Now you are starting to discuss apples and oranges.

XML is a file format, as is CSV. CSV is simpler and more compact but it
also corresponds to just a single table. XML is more complex but is
also more flexible in that it can describe parent/child relationships
in data, e.g.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<Document>
<Purchase_Order >
<PO_Number>1000 0</PO_Number>
<PO_Line_Item >
<Item_Number> 1</Item_Number>
<SKU>FOO123</SKU>
<Quantity>3</Quantity>
</PO_Line_Item>
<PO_Line_Item >
<Item_Number> 2</Item_Number>
<SKU>BAR234</SKU>
<Quantity>5</Quantity>
</PO_Line_Item>
</Purchase_Order>
<Purchase_Order >
<PO_Number>1000 1</PO_Number>
<PO_Line_Item >
<Item_Number> 1</Item_Number>
<SKU>BAZ345</SKU>
<Quantity>21</Quantity>
</PO_Line_Item>
</Purchase_Order>
</Document>

FTP is a transfer protocol, as is HTTP. Both protocols can transmit
data in different formats (such as CSV, XML, HTML, ...).

I guess I'm approaching this as someone not conversant in the subject.
If I were an expert I wouldn't be asking.

I want to be able to select the items to order from a web site, submit
my request, and have the results returned to me. I care not if it is
FTP/HTTP at this point, I want to know if what I would like to do is
possible. The file returned can be in CSV, Excel, XLM formats, that
makes no difference to me at this point. I would prefer the results of
a downloadable file, IOW link, not be returned to me in a web page
because of the file/open dialog box hassles of just getting to the
folder to store it in.

Currently I get on a computer site, search around it selecting items I
want to buy. I know the computer can send me back results but when I'm
sitting in front of a browser I get results back as a html page. A
formatted web page of results is not what I want. I want the results on
my computer. Some folk say screen scraping is the way to go. To me
that seems ill advised.

I know that I will need to work with/ask the vendor's web/IT staff to do
something like this...if it's possible. I know the technology exists,
just not sure how it's implemented.

>
salad wrote:

>>David W. Fenton wrote:

>>>salad <oi*@vinegar.co mwrote in
news:cp***** **************@ newsread4.news. pas.earthlink.n et:

Emails would add a layer of complexity to the issue. Maybe not so
complex but adds a layer where the person has to go into the email
and perhaps save the email or attachment to a folder for
processin g.

A CSV file, like Gunny mentioned, would be just fine. I'd prefer
to have a communication thread with the computer with little to
none in the way of user intervention.
Look into examples of using the MS XML libraries.

Hi David:
Appreciate your POV. Are you referring to Access help? Or an MS KB
article?

This can allow you

>>>to post and retrieve data directly to and from a web page (assuming
there's a script on the web page to handle the transaction and
return the desired results). If I'm remembering correctly, Douglas
Steele has done quite a bit with this and published articles
explaining how it's done. I haven't done it myself, but I'm going to
implement my first such project using it in the next month or so.

I wish you success and maybe you will share your experiences.

Maybe I'm approaching this wrong. I'll provide another example.

I use Norton Anti-virus. I can open up Norton and check to see if there
are new virus definitions. It will return to my computer the newest
definitions if they exist.

A better example tho would be using the web site. Let's say I have a
quotes system. I open up a web page at HandBagsRUs.com for their
catalog. If needed, I could pass to it username/password to it. At
that time the system knows who I am, who my salesperson is at the
company, what discount rates I get, etc.

I go an select the handbags I want to order and sell. Once I have made
my selections, perhaps by adding them to a shopping cart, I submit my
request for those items, maybe specify this is a quote or PO.

The computer over at HandBagsRUs.com churns away for a second or two and
now has my quote. It can return the results to the web page. I really
don't want that. What I would like is the electronic results be sent to
my computer...if that is possible.

Maybe the results could be returned to me via FTP? Would that be a
better solution?

It would be great if the results could simply be dumped on my computer
and my program could parse the results out.

Some web sites do something "close". The quote might be generated and
then reside at the vendors site. This is pretty much useless. They can
have our quote on their machine but I want the quote on my machine as well.

So I am looking for a communcation from the vendor I can use to update
my application. I believe XML is used to communicate between computers
and was wondering if it could be used in a manner I described. If FTP
is a more doable option that would be great too.

[rkc]

salad wrote:

I guess I'm approaching this as someone not conversant in the subject.
If I were an expert I wouldn't be asking.

What you're talking about (I think) is called a web service.
Google it. While you're at it, Google XMLHttp Request. It's one of the
easy ways you can communicate with a web service from Access using VBA.
Other ways are automating Internet Explorer or using the web browser
control.

[Lyle Fairfield]

I am still having trouble understanding what you want to do.

This a beta procedure that gets appointments from my Google (Web)
Calendar and puts them into Outlook (it's run in Outlook, not Access.)
It uses XMLHTTP. It requires a reference to MS XML, v6.0. It adds a
hundred appointments in two or three seconds. (RKC introduced me to
XMLHTTP):
Public Sub AddNewCalendarI tems()
Dim ai As AppointmentItem
Dim a$()
Dim d$()
Dim s$
Dim x As XMLHTTP60

Dim z&

Dim pDescription$
Dim pEnd As Date
Dim pLocation$
Dim pStart As Date
Dim pSubject$
Dim pBase As Date
Dim pMinDate As Date
Dim pMaxDate As Date

pMinDate = DateAdd("m", -1, Date)
pMaxDate = DateAdd("yyyy", 1, Date)

Set x = New XMLHTTP60
With x
.Open "GET",
"http://www.google.com/calendar/ical/abigalphanumeri cstringgroup.ca lendar.google.c om/private-abigalphanumeri cstring
1b/basic.ics", False
.Send
s = .responseText
End With
Debug.Print s
a = Split(s, vbNewLine)
For z = LBound(a) To UBound(a) - 1
Set ai = CreateItem(olAp pointmentItem)
d = Split(a(z), ":")
Select Case d(0)
Case Is = "DESCRIPTIO N"
pDescription = d(1)
Case Is = "LOCATION"
pLocation = d(1)
Case Is = "SUMMARY"
pSubject = d(1)
Case Is = "DTSTART;VALUE= DATE"
pStart = DateSerial(Mid$ (d(1), 1, 4), Mid$(d(1), 5, 2),
Mid$(d(1), 7, 2))
If Len(d(1)) 8 Then _
pStart = pStart + TimeSerial(Mid$ (d(1), 9, 2),
Mid$(d(1), 11, 2), Mid$(d(1), 13, 2))
Case Is = "DTEND;VALUE=DA TE"
pEnd = DateSerial(Mid$ (d(1), 1, 4), Mid$(d(1), 5, 2),
Mid$(d(1), 7, 2))
If Len(d(1)) 8 Then _
pEnd = pEnd + TimeSerial(Mid$ (d(1), 9, 2),
Mid$(d(1), 11, 2), Mid$(d(1), 13, 2))
Case Is = "END"
If d(1) = "VEVENT" And _
Len(pSubject) 0 And _
pStart >= pMinDate And _
pStart <= pMaxDate Then
With ai
.Subject = pSubject
If Len(pDescriptio n) 0 Then _
.Body = pDescription
If Len(pLocation) 0 Then _
.Location = pLocation
.Start = pStart
.End = pEnd
.Save
End With
End If
pDescription = vbNullString
pLocation = vbNullString
pStart = pBase
pEnd = pBase
pSubject = vbNullString
Case Else
End Select
Set ai = Nothing
Next z
End Sub

Public Sub RemoveAllCalend arItems()
Dim mf As MAPIFolder
Dim ns As NameSpace
Dim z As Long
Set ns = GetNamespace("M API")
Set mf = ns.GetDefaultFo lder(olFolderCa lendar)
With mf.Items
For z = .Count To 1 Step -1
.Remove z
Next z
End With
End Sub