newbee: using XML to define how to enter data?

[fkater]

Hi,

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.

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. 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. Also, it would not be
enough to let the user enter data freely in a text editor and *later*
parse it against errors -- the editor should visually show to the user
what data is required, what is optional etc.

Felix

[Peter Flynn]

fk****@googlemail.com wrote:

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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/

[fkater]

Peter Flynn wrote:

fk****@googlemail.com wrote:

[...]

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.

Right. You want a data-entry tool that saves the data as XML.

.... yes, and gets its rules what to enter from XML (DTD?).

Do you have any link to such tools? My search ended up in xforms but
I'm not shure if I need that. So, I couldn't find anything approriate,
is that possible?!

Thank You
Felix

[Martin Honnen]

fk****@googlemail.com wrote:

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.

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.

XForms allows what you want, you would need a user agent that supports
XForms however. Current desktop browsers like Microsoft Internet
Explorer or Mozilla Firefox do not support XForms natively. For MS IE
there are plugins available, see
<http://www.w3.org/MarkUp/Forms/>
and there is work on its way to implement an extension for Mozilla, it
is currently available as a 0.4 preview release.
<http://www.mozilla.org/projects/xforms/>
--

Martin Honnen
http://JavaScript.FAQTs.com/

[Lisa Wilke-Thissen]

Hi Felix,

<fk****@googlemail.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:11*********************@i40g2000cwc.googlegro ups.com...

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. 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. Also, it
would not be enough to let the user enter data freely in a
text editor and *later* parse it against errors -- the editor
should visually show to the user what data is required,
what is optional etc.

Microsoft InfoPath could be an alternative:
http://www.xml.com/pub/a/2003/10/29/infopath.html

--
Regards

Lisa
MS MVP Word

[Peter Flynn]

fk****@googlemail.com wrote:

Peter Flynn wrote:

fk****@googlemail.com wrote:
[...]

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.

Right. You want a data-entry tool that saves the data as XML.

... yes, and gets its rules what to enter from XML (DTD?).

It certainly could. Probably a Schema rather than a DTD, because
DTDs are designed for describing the rules of normal text documents,
whereas Schemas are capable of more complex data rules.
Do you have any link to such tools? My search ended up in xforms but
I'm not shure if I need that. So, I couldn't find anything approriate,
is that possible?!

If you use Microsoft software, have a look an InfoPath.

///Peter
--
XML FAQ: http://xml.silmaril.ie/