Multiple Root elements how to?

[evaleah]

Hi all. I am looking at using XML for data transfer for the first time and have already stumbled on needing multiple root elements.

My dataset needs to have the following elements:
<PUB>
<AL>
<A>Ackloo, S</A>
<A>Terlouw, JK</A>
<A>Ruttink, PJ</A>
<A>Burgers, PC</A>
</AL>
<T>Analysis of carrageenans by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. I. kappa-Carrageenans</T>
<J>Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom</J>
<Y>2001</Y>
<V>15</V>
<P>1152-9</P>
</PUB>

The issue is that I need to have multiple authors for the same publication. Can anyone give me an idea of how to approach this?

Thank you so much!
Eva

 

[chiph]

You can't have multiple root elements, as that would violate the W3C standards.

I would do something like this:

<?xml encoding=&quot;UTF-8&quot; version=&quot;1.0&quot;?>
<Publications>
  <Publication>
    <Authors>
      <Author>Adam Able</Author>
      <Author>Betty Baker</Author>
      <Author>Charlie Chucky</Author>
    </Authors>
    <Title>Ship Captain: The Captain Hazelwood story</Title>
    <Year>200</Year>
    <Price currency=&quot;USD&quot;>35.98</Price>
  </Publication>
  <Publication>
    <Authors>
      <Author>Dave Delta</Author>
      <Author>Echo Early</Author>
      <Author>Frank Foxtrot</Author>
    </Authors>
    <Title>Have Beret, Will Travel: Monica's story</Title>
    <Year>200</Year>
    <Price currency=&quot;USD&quot;>35.98</Price>
  </Publication>
  <Publication>
    <Authors>
      <Author>William Gates</Author>
    </Authors>
    <Title>Money: Why I have it and you don't</Title>
    <Year>200</Year>
    <Price currency=&quot;USD&quot;>35.98</Price>
  </Publication>
</Publications>

Chip H.



If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first

 

[evaleah]

Thanks for the advice. However, this is essentially what I have. I just shortened the headers to single letters.

Let me be much more specific about my problem..... I am using ASP.Net to import this XML file. When I execute a DataSetName.ReadXML I get an error that there are multiple root elements.

I stripped the XML file down to having only one author:
<PUB>
<A>Burgers, PC</A>
<T>Analysis of carrageenans</T>
<J>Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom</J>
<Y>2001</Y>
<V>15</V>
<P>1152-9</P>
</PUB>

and it works beautifully. I am assuming there is another approach to this so that I can import everything using the ReadXML method of the dataset object. Or, do I need to keep formatting it the way I am formatting it and just import it a different way?

Is there another way to approach this than including the authors in a sublist?

Thanks,
Eva

 

[evaleah]

Let me update this....

I have managed to get the file imported into a dataset using the original formatting I had. The problem was in the XML file there were some errors, not the basic structure itself. But the authors are not coming through at all.

All the other information is coming through nicely. Any other ideas???

Thanks

 

[chiph]

I would look at a possible encoding problem. If you leave the encoding off on the XML file, it defaults to UTF-8. But if you're inserting into regular fields (CHAR, VARCHAR) and not Unicode fields (NCHAR, NVARCHAR) you could have a problem.

Chip H.


If you want to get the best response to a question, please check out FAQ222-2244 first