Pros & cons

[RemyS]

Hi All,
I'm new to development for web apps and was wondering if some of you could help me clear up some confusion I have.

I'm a bit hazy on what the differences are between XML and ASP???

I've read up a bit about XML and understand it as a data storage format, but I haven't gotten as far as how to use it.

I haven't read up too much yet about ASP, but I currently develop with Access so I'm used to SQL and VBScript shouldn't be too much of a stretch.


I'd like to know on which points either one shines/falls?

I have Visual Interdev 6.0 and Macromedia 4.0 and was wondering if anyone has any preferences over which to use, or any recomendations.


I hope that makes sense
Thanks in advance
Remy Hundreds of ways to do things with VB, and learning new ways every day.

 

[Bastien]

XML is a way to interchange data with other machines or applications. ASP is a progamming language. ASP manipulate XML data and display it to something. ASP can work without XML, but generally XML needs ASP or PHP or JAVA or C++ etc to make things work.

What is really happening is the complete separation of data from the language/presentation side of the equation.

I prefer VI6 to code with for ASP, MM4 is okay but there is a lot of extra code generated, which can make debugging a headache. Though the WYSIWYG aspect of MM4 is fantastic.

hth

Bastien Bastien

There are many ways to skin this cat,
but it still tastes like chicken

 

[RemyS]

So essentially I should learn ASP first, and how to use it with my SQL server and Web Server, and then migrate my data storage to XML format.

That's obviously the bit I would have learned had I read further about XML.
It's going to take a while before I understand exactly the advantages of XML over delimited text, but I love a good challenging learning curve.

Thanx Hundreds of ways to do things with VB, and learning new ways every day.

 

[Bastien]

xml comes into its own for application that need to exchange data. since your xml schema or DTD are publically available (they are place on the web server in conjuction with all the other files so that anyone accessing the pages can use the DTD/schema to validate the XML) it makes exchanging data simple as the user obtains the DTD/schema and can 'read' how your data is formated. they can then pull the data from the XML page and then use the data in their applications....

That does not mean that XML is not useful now, as you can separate the data from the presentation and it allows the designer to work apart from the developer...

But get to know ASP first, and when you get a grasp on it then you can extend it by adding XML.

happy programming

Bastien

There are many ways to skin this cat,
but it still tastes like chicken