RE: XML

["Walden H. Leverich" <WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Aaron,

>Note that adding XML as a db communication layer for a blackbox
application
>is asking for some real overhead issues. 

I don't want to put words in David's mouth, but since I've done
something similar I think I know what he's doing. It's not so much that
XML is the data transport layer as it's the data storage layer on the
offline application. 

Datasets have this marvelous ability to serialize themselves to/from and
XML stream. And since datasets can have multiple tables and even
relationships between the tables you can actually use the dataset as a
mini-database. When you're online load up the dataset from the iSeries
and serialize it do a local file. When offline simply serialize it in
from the local file -- instant offline data access. 

My biggest concern with using anything other that the Dataset to
serialize out the XML in the first place is that you've got to get it
right. Simple XML is, um, simple, but throw in several tables, and the
relations between them and suddenly that XML gets rather ugly. It's not
that it can't be done from RPG -- heck XML is just text -- but if you
continue to use .NET to create the XML you're completely isolated from
that ugliness, but if you move the creation to the iSeries now it's your
problem.

-Walden


------------
Walden H Leverich III
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x11
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com

Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)