Create an effective XML Schema for Data Load dilemma…

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Hi I am writing a XML Based Visual Studio application, whereby I need to import a simple matrix of 6 columns by 400 rows of data. The scenario is that the user puts in question number and the application looks up the question and display the 5 columns of the answer in the below format from the source data. I am having to trouble deciding how to structure the XML ?
(Note I will also have various other screen to maintain the source data file).

General Question Format to be shown on Final Screen
2.5 Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to,
other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. (www.autism.org.uk)

2.7 Positives:
• Emergencies i.e. 999/112, GPS
• Easier to keep in touch
• Long Range communication
• Entertainment i.e. apps, camera, internet
Negatives:
• Distraction
• Cost
• Crime
• Cyber Bullying
5.18 Answer: D. All of these:
• Insurance companies can expect to pay out more in disaster claims.
• The fishing industry will suffer from low fish stocks.
• Some wine regions will no longer sustain grape crops
5.30 Answer: C: Recycling. (Recycling is the process through which waste materials are recovered and reprocessed for use in new products).

I also have an Excel table with this Table as follows :

Question No Answer Ref Answer Formatting Answer Description
2.5 Paragraph Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with...
2.7 Paragraph Positives:
2.7 bullet Emergencies i.e. 999/112, GPS
2.7 bullet Easier to keep in touch
2.7 bullet Long Range communication
2.7 bullet Entertainment i.e. apps, camera, internet
2.7 Paragraph Negatives:
2.7 bullet Distraction
2.7 bullet Cost
2.7 bullet Crime
2.7 bullet Cyber Bullying

etc... (Not very readable with this Forum but you get the gist.

XML

XML: OPTION 1 - Flat Record
<Question_Answer_Line>
<Question No>
<Answer Ref>
<Answer Formatting>    ‘ Notice this field governs the way the screen will format the answer. i.e. buttlets
<Answer Description>
<Answer Ref Section>
<Answer Ref Colour>
<Answer Image>
<Answer Hyperlink>
</Question_Answer_Line>

XML: OPTION 2 - Master/Child Record Type Definition
<Question_Answer_MASTER_QUESTION>
<Question No>
<Answer Ref>
<Answer Description>
<Answer Ref Section>
<Answer Ref Colour>
<Answer Image>
<Answer Hyperlink>
<Question_Answer_Child>  ‘ Notice Master/Child governs the way the screen will format the answer. i.e. buttlets
<Question No>
<Answer Ref>
<Answer Description>
<Question_Answer_Child>
</Question_Answer_MASTER_QUESTION>             (or something like that).

The above XML OPTION 1 - is how I might proceed for the Schema definition but the alternative is to Master/Child type record definition… For the very experienced I would image you would make the latter option work but by putting the "Answer Formatting" tag I can control how the output should be displayed by the program.

Can anyone offer any advise ?
Thanks in advance. Kuldip.

Posted 9-Jul-14 5:48am

mond007

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Maciej Los 9-Jul-14 15:16pm

Sorry, we don't get your problem...

George Jonsson 9-Jul-14 21:37pm

I can't get it either. It is very confusing.
Can you make a real XML example of the text you describe, and not this strange XML format.

mond007 10-Jul-14 2:44am

Ok, sorry maybe your missing some preamble. I was unable to add an image so you could visualize my screen shot.

I have already written the Visual Studio Application and works fine but I have hard-coded the questions and answers into the code. i.e the following line of code loads the data into an array is repeated several hundred times :

Call populate_array_items(1, "2.7", "-", "Positives: 0 Emergencies i.e. 999/112, GPS 0 Easier to keep in touch 0 Long Range communication 0 Entertainment i.e. apps, camera, internet Negatives: 0 Distraction 0 Cost 0 Crime 0 Cyber Bullying", "Category 2- Be Smart", "Purple", "Image 2.7", "")

Everything past the this works. The issue is that these questions keep changing and hence I have an excel file with all the data in there. It was my intention to export the data from the Excel Data file to an XML format.

Then I would load the XML Data into the array at the Form_Load point and carry on as usual. I have not got any XML file as yet this is the point at which I am stuck. i.e. How to create the XML from my Excel data File.

I was hoping to use a simple XML Schema as shown in OPTION 1 above and create an XML file and then simply read in the data into the array. If the Data changes I would replace the XML Data file and no program changes required just different Data.

Hope that makes better sense, sorry maybe I am not explaining it very well.
Thanks in Advance. Kuldip.

2 solutions

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George Jonsson · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-10T20:22:00

I recommend that you start reading up on XML structures and how to create an XSD schema.

Here is one place to start:
XML Tutorial[^]
XML Schema Tutorial[^]

As a general advice, you should never add fixed elements to a structure if you suspect the the number of elements will change.

Example of bad structuring:

XML

<parent>
    <name>Harry Hacker</name>
    <child1>Copy</child1>
    <child2>Paste</child2>
</parent>

Better structure:

XML

<parent>
    <name>Harry Hacker</name>
    <childs>
        <child id="1">Copy</child>
        <child id="2">Paste</child>
    </childs>
</parent>

Ask yourself what is the difference in the two structures when Harry gets a third kid.
What do you need to do in the first case compared to the second case?

mond007 · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-10T20:48:00

Solution 2

Hi

I managed to get a solution sorted on a different thread.

http://www.vbdotnetforums.com/xml/60658-create-effective-xml-schema-data-load-dilemma.html#post167646[^]

I have come a long way since I first posted this question.

Thanks you in advance. Regards Kuldip.

Posted 10-Jul-14 20:48pm