Conversion of binary flat file to XML

[Ed Lai]

This is an announcement of a bidirectional converter between binary flat
file and XML.

It is different from other converters because

it is free,

it is web-based, nothing to download,

it does not try to target a few commercially important file types, it
tries to be general and flexible,

it does not require you to learn a new language, it uses XML schema with
some foreign attributes.

If you want to check it out, the converter is located at
http://www.datamech.com/XMLForm/XMLandBinary.html

description can be found at
http://www.datamech.com/XMLForm/aboutXmlAndBinary.html
data_mechanic(at)yahoo(dot)com

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[Ed Lai]

I would like to add a few words about the converter.

File formats like csv are just rows of records with fields. They are
very regular. For example, the csv data

And Now For Something Completely Different,1971,Ian MacNaughton
Monty Python And The Holy Grail,1975,Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones
Monty Python's Life Of Brian,1979,Terry Jones
Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl,1982,Terry Hughes
Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life,1983,Terry Jones

can be converted to XML such as

<MontyPython>
<movie>
<title>And Now For Something Completely Different</title>
<releaseDate>1971</releaseDate>
<director>Ian MacNaughton</director>
</movie>
<movie>
<title>Monty Python And The Holy Grail</title>
<releaseDate>1975</releaseDate>
<director>Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones</director>
</movie>
<movie>
<title>Monty Python's Life Of Brian</title>
<releaseDate>1979</releaseDate>
<director>Terry Jones</director>
</movie>
<movie>
<title>Monty Python Live At The Hollywood Bowl</title>
<releaseDate>1982</releaseDate>
<director>Terry Hughes</director>
</movie>
<movie>
<title>Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life</title>
<releaseDate>1983</releaseDate>
<director>Terry Jones</director>
</movie>
</MontyPython>

You do not really gain a lot by converting to XML, reading the original
csv file by human is almost as easy as reading the XML. Reading the csv
file by program (such as Python, where the above example comes from) is
easier than the XML file.

The strength of XML is not in highly regular data. XML is good for
semi-structured data with complex structure.

When you read such a complex data file like

P101999-10-2011Alice SmithS16123 Maple StreetMill Valley
CA0590952112Robert SmithP045354Old Town PA0595819P29Hurry, my
lawn is going wild!06872-AA09Lawnmower01106148.95P24Confirm this is
electricA06926-AA12Baby Monitor0110539.98AP101999-05-21

To be able to convert it to XML would be a big win

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<purchaseOrder orderDate="1999-10-20">
<shipTo country="US">
<name>Alice Smith</name>
<street>123 Maple Street</street>
<city>Mill Valley</city>
<state>CA</state>
<zip>90952</zip>
</shipTo>
<billTo country="US">
<name>Robert Smith</name>
<poBox>5354</poBox>
<city>Old Town</city>
<state>PA</state>
<zip>95819</zip>
</billTo>
<comment>Hurry, my lawn is going wild!</comment>
<items>
<item partNum="872-AA">
<productName>Lawnmower</productName>
<quantity>1</quantity>
<USPrice>148.95</USPrice>
<comment>Confirm this is electric</comment>
</item>
<item partNum="926-AA">
<productName>Baby Monitor</productName>
<quantity>1</quantity>
<USPrice>39.98</USPrice>
<shipDate>1999-05-21</shipDate>
</item>
</items>
</purchaseOrder>

And this is what this converter would like to be good at.
data_mechanic(at)yahoo(dot)com

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