RebelGeekz' Blog

XML Next

Continuing my case for XML Next
Compare this:

<?xml version="2.0" ?>
<invoice>
    <number>123456789</number>
    <date>2004/01/01</date>
    <shipper>Fedex</shipper>
    <customer>Microsoft</customer>
    <address>
        <street>One Microsoft Way</street>
        <city>Redmond</city>
        <state>WA</state>
        <postal>12345</postal>
    </address>
    <items>
        <item>ABCD1233|LCD TV 60"|125|357.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1234|LCD TV 61"|126|358.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1235|LCD TV 62"|127|359.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1236|LCD TV 63"|128|360.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1237|LCD TV 64"|129|361.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1238|LCD TV 65"|130|362.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1239|LCD TV 66"|131|363.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1240|LCD TV 67"|132|364.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1241|LCD TV 68"|133|365.95</item>
        <item>ABCD1242|LCD TV 69"|134|366.95</item>
    </items>
    <totals>
        <amount>1234.56</amount>
        <discount>123.45</discount>
        <taxes>234.56</taxes>
        <total>2345.67</total>
    </totals>
</invoice>

to this:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<invoice>
    <number>123456789</number>
    <date>2004/01/01</date>
    <shipper>Fedex</shipper>
    <customer>Microsoft</customer>
    <address>
        <street>One Microsoft Way</street>
        <city>Redmond</city>
        <state>WA</state>
        <postal>12345</postal>
    </address>
    <items>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1234</code>
            <description>LCD TV 60"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1235</code>
            <description>LCD TV 61"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1236</code>
            <description>LCD TV 62"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1237</code>
            <description>LCD TV 63"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1238</code>
            <description>LCD TV 64"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1239</code>
            <description>LCD TV 65"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1240</code>
            <description>LCD TV 66"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1241</code>
            <description>LCD TV 67"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1242</code>
            <description>LCD TV 68"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
        <item>
            <code>ABCD1243</code>
            <description>LCD TV 69"</description>
            <quantity>125</quantity>
            <unitprice>357.95</unitprice>
        </item>
    </items>
    <totals>
        <amount>1234.56</amount>
        <discount>123.45</discount>
        <taxes>234.56</taxes>
        <total>2345.67</total>
    </totals>
</invoice>

Now,

Beware of a much more powerful format with a parser already available in every single computer in the world, Javascript Objects:

invoice={
    number  :'123456789',
    date    :'2004/01/01',
    shipper :'Fedex',
    customer:'Microsoft',
    address:{
        street:'One Microsoft Way',
        city  :'Redmond',
        state :'WA',
        postal:'12345'
    },
    items:[
        ['ABCD1233','LCD TV 60"',125,357.95],
        ['ABCD1234','LCD TV 61"',126,358.95],
        ['ABCD1235','LCD TV 62"',127,359.95],
        ['ABCD1236','LCD TV 63"',128,360.95],
        ['ABCD1237','LCD TV 64"',129,361.95],
        ['ABCD1238','LCD TV 65"',130,362.95],
        ['ABCD1239','LCD TV 66"',131,363.95],
        ['ABCD1240','LCD TV 67"',132,364.95],
        ['ABCD1241','LCD TV 68"',133,365.95],
        ['ABCD1242','LCD TV 69"',134,366.95]
    ],
    totals:{
        amount  :1234.56,
        discount: 123.45,
        taxes   : 234.56,
        Total   :2345.67
    }
}

Use as easy as:

write( invoice.customer );
write( invoice.totals.taxes );
write( invoice.items[1][3] );

So simple it looks dangerous huh?

XML 2.0 is not just about CSV++ see?
It is all about messages, whichever shape they take: circle, rectangle or triangle ;-)

Print posted @ Wednesday, February 16, 2005 1:23 PM