Topic: Using XML to include data in html files

Hi everyone,

I would like to set up a file that contains a diverse set of data to be included in web pages. Is XML a good option for my purposes? The only info i've found so far refers to DMO, and specifically this:

<xml id="idx" src="http://www.-----.data.xml"></xml>
<span datasrc="#idx" datafld="aumuk"></span>

however when i test this i can't get it to work, no idea why as it looks simple enough. then there's the problem of it only being supported by ie4+. From my very limited knowledge of XML there surely must be a way for a browser to simply look at an xml file and include a piece of the data?!!

I'm looking for a solution that doesn't include much scripting and if possible could be used to link to from excel, powerpoint etc.

Or is XML the wrong path altogether?

Thanks a lot folks.

I found reading the tutorial on XML at w3schools very handy for getting to grips with the basics. It's difficult for me to give you a better answer without knowing more detail about your project, but from what you've said it sounds like XML is a fine idea,let us know how you get along.

Cheers,

Thanks for the suggestion Blaise.

I have managed to create the following html page: http://www.willedge.com/files/web_test.htm

This page looks at this data source: http://www.willedge.com/files/data.xml

this works ok in IE but not in firefox and i am worried that it is not a very good way of implemating a data repository. Can anyone comment on that or suggest a better approach?

Does anyone know if these types of data sources can be accesses in the same way by MS office applications?

Thanks for the help, Will.

sharpedge3000: Hello and welcome in the Asylum,

You should have a look at the Quirksmode | Import XML Document by Peter-Paul Koch. Or read the specs of the XmlHttpRequest object which works in all modern browsers ( IIRC it works in FF, IE5.5+, OP8b, SF1.1+ )

Hope that helps,