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Using XML
- Thread starter jcorcoran
- Start date
NARAYANK991
Excel Ninja
Hi ,
I doubt that XML is something that can be explained in a few lines. If you really need to understand what XML is , for purposes of using it , then there are quite a few sites which explain it in depth , and at the same time , in simple terms.
1. http://www.sitepoint.com/really-good-introduction-xml/
2. http://www.perfectxml.com/om/XMLHistory.PDF
Narayan
I doubt that XML is something that can be explained in a few lines. If you really need to understand what XML is , for purposes of using it , then there are quite a few sites which explain it in depth , and at the same time , in simple terms.
1. http://www.sitepoint.com/really-good-introduction-xml/
2. http://www.perfectxml.com/om/XMLHistory.PDF
Narayan
Kyle McGhee
Member
Hi Julie,
I won’t go into the details of XML but I will offer one possible usage of it. Say you have an external file in XML format, such as an invoice or a list of data that you want to bring into Excel. You could open the XML file and manually type in the data into Excel; a time consuming and error-prone process. Or you could import it into an Excel table, assuming it is a well-designed XML document.
Copy this XML into a blank txt file, save and close. Rename the txt file to books.xml
[pre]
[/pre]
Taken from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms762271%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
Now in Excel, import or open the books.xml file. After a few prompts, the data should show up in a table.
I use something similar at work, as I am able to download a type of invoice into XML. The invoices I deal with are not very well-designed and require a lot of work (i.e. manipulation via VBA) but the XML format is the quickest way to get this data into Excel.
Kyle
I won’t go into the details of XML but I will offer one possible usage of it. Say you have an external file in XML format, such as an invoice or a list of data that you want to bring into Excel. You could open the XML file and manually type in the data into Excel; a time consuming and error-prone process. Or you could import it into an Excel table, assuming it is a well-designed XML document.
Copy this XML into a blank txt file, save and close. Rename the txt file to books.xml
[pre]
Code:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<catalog>
<book id="bk101">
<author>Gambardella, Matthew</author>
<title>XML Developer's Guide</title>
<genre>Computer</genre>
<price>44.95</price>
<publish_date>2000-10-01</publish_date>
<description>An in-depth look at creating applications
with XML.</description>
</book>
<book id="bk102">
<author>Ralls, Kim</author>
<title>Midnight Rain</title>
<genre>Fantasy</genre>
<price>5.95</price>
<publish_date>2000-12-16</publish_date>
<description>A former architect battles corporate zombies,
an evil sorceress, and her own childhood to become queen
of the world.</description>
</book>
</catalog>Taken from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms762271%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
Now in Excel, import or open the books.xml file. After a few prompts, the data should show up in a table.
I use something similar at work, as I am able to download a type of invoice into XML. The invoices I deal with are not very well-designed and require a lot of work (i.e. manipulation via VBA) but the XML format is the quickest way to get this data into Excel.
Kyle
NARAYANK991
Excel Ninja
Hi Julie ,
I think this will help :
http://webdesign.about.com/od/xml/a/aa091500a.htm
The simplest way to explain XML is as a structured way of storing information ; the difference between an XML document and a database ( which is also a way of storing structured information ) is :
1. A database is a heavy system in that a lot of software goes into creating and maintaining a database ; an XML document is based on tags , similar to a HTML document ; the difference is that the tags can even be user defined , which means you can store any data any way you want , as long as you create the software which can decipher what the data stands for ; as the above link shows , you can even store a recipe.
2. Even a browser can interpret common XML documents which rely on standard tags.
3. Every database system is proprietary in the sense that even though each can interface with another through defined protocols , the internals are all hidden ; an XML document is defined by tags which are within the document , so it is totally open.
I an not so conversant with XML that I can make it really simple !
Narayan
I think this will help :
http://webdesign.about.com/od/xml/a/aa091500a.htm
The simplest way to explain XML is as a structured way of storing information ; the difference between an XML document and a database ( which is also a way of storing structured information ) is :
1. A database is a heavy system in that a lot of software goes into creating and maintaining a database ; an XML document is based on tags , similar to a HTML document ; the difference is that the tags can even be user defined , which means you can store any data any way you want , as long as you create the software which can decipher what the data stands for ; as the above link shows , you can even store a recipe.
2. Even a browser can interpret common XML documents which rely on standard tags.
3. Every database system is proprietary in the sense that even though each can interface with another through defined protocols , the internals are all hidden ; an XML document is defined by tags which are within the document , so it is totally open.
I an not so conversant with XML that I can make it really simple !
Narayan