XML for websites: Filling XML databases

[fuli42]

Hello!

I have another question concerninng my XML, XHTML site:
Once I have the XML database, XSLT running, how can the XML database filled up, with very little computer skills?
I thought I would create an MS Word template, so that whoever writes the articles, he/she only has to "mark up" which section is the date, title, subtitle, paragraph etc.
Then it had to be transformed AND added to the XML database.
Questions:
How can one update an XML file by transorming (using the predefined template) a Word file?
In practice is it possible that more people update the same XML file simultaneously?

IS there a better solution to Ms Word, that is still very easy to learn and use?

Thank you very much,

Balint

 

[Torp23]

I have been an ASP/VB programmer for years, but am very new to XML myself, but had some thoughts I hope might be helpful to you:

I know that if you save a Word file as html and look at the source code for it, you always get a 'ton' of xml stuff but I'm not sure how it is used. I always delete it out. Perhaps you could try the MS-KB and look for articles on that. I would think that any solution using Word will involve VBA coding and I don't know how you feel about that.

SQL2000 has the ability to automatically export data from a table as XML and you can easily apply a XSL to that, so if you can use SQL2000 that might be an option for you. Depending on your skills, you could design a fancy interface or just dump data into SQL using Enterprise Manager which comes with SQL Server.

I am not familiar with other methods, but maybe other forum users might have some better ideas using parsers or other technologies.

Good luck!

Scott

 

[fuli42]

THank you Scott!

I was thinking of a simpler solution. The XML file, with its own DTD is finished, now what remains is that new content has to be added. I could do it with Notepad, and add the apropriate tags myself. But for those who will write the articles it would be too complicated.
They already know how to use word, I could give them a template, and with one click, what they have written could be added to the XML file.
Any ideas?
THank you,
Balint

 

[cian]

Balint,

Just an idea: you could let the user send the information via HTML forms. They just enter the date, title, subtitle, paragraph etc into the form fields and submit it. You would need something like perl or php to process the form but you could have the output in XML format.
There are some scripts similar to this available if you search the net. You just then need to modify them to output as XML father than HTML etc


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[fuli42]

Thanx Cian!

This would be perfect, because this way the content of the site could be updated from anywhere. So far, I can't program in Perl or PHP so...

Thanks again

Balint

 

[cian]

Hi Baint,

There's lots of free scripts as I said. you don't need to know how to program.

Genesis :

http://www.xav.com/scripts/genesis/

is one such script. This is probably NOT suitable for your application but it will give you and idea what they can do.

If you search for similar i'm sure you will find something close.
As for modifying the scripts, without perl knowledge you can still do this, IMO.


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[cian]

I just realised how dumb this sounds "f you search for similar i'm sure you will find something close."

:-(


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[XMLStick]

Hi there,
Try the shareware:

http://rustemsoft.com/XMLConverter.htm

We use it now for uploading our XMLs. This proved to be excellent because you can change the XSL style for XML output to what you wanted.

 

[fuli42]

Thanks for the support, I1ll check your suggestions...

Cheers,
Balint

 

[cian]

Hi,

Another option is a javascript wizard. fill in the form fields and the javascript will output the xml code in a textarea or something. you'd then need to copy the code and save it as an xml file. Might be a good option cos it's client side. IMO.


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[fuli42]

Hello!

This is indeed a very good solution! It is very simple and easy to create.
The downside is, that it's not always as simple as filling out forms.
For example I don't know how many paragraphs, and subparagraphs an article will contain, thus I can't work with a fixed number of form fields. Still I think it's not impossible to create a form where new fields can be added by the user.

Thanks for the idea,

Balint

 

[cian]

Hi,

Well you could limit the submitter to a fixed number and format or else provide LOTS of form fields!

Good luck with it!


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