XML, VBScript, and HTA royal rumble

I just started working with XML. However, I have been working with
HTAs and VBScripts for a while now. I am building an HTA that would
generate data into an XML file, and display it in a Data Island (which
I found is the easiest way to display it in this case.. since there
would an X number of data sources, with the same XML format). The
problems came when I had to filter the XML data to show only a certain
criteria. I could not embed XQuery code into the document as I am not
sure if there is a way to get the XQuery and Data Island to work
together to produce only a limited record set in the output table.

I then started looking at multidimensional array sorting and class
creation and sorting, I felt as though my mind was frying. XQuery
seems much easier but there was no easy way to use it since the Data
Island itself is a dynamic table with a dynamic data source spanning
different data types.

I thought probably the best way to achieve a filtered XML would be to
obtain a XQuery application (a small portable parser) that would run
against the original XML file producing a newer modified XML with the
needed data. I could not find such an application.

Has anyone got an efficient solution to such a problem? Thank you for
your time.
- Nasser

Anthony
Wed Feb 28 04:09:45 CST 2007


"NasserQ8" <nasser.alhilal@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1172653790.368867.38090@j27g2000cwj.googlegroups.com...
> I just started working with XML. However, I have been working with
> HTAs and VBScripts for a while now. I am building an HTA that would
> generate data into an XML file, and display it in a Data Island (which
> I found is the easiest way to display it in this case.. since there
> would an X number of data sources, with the same XML format).

This is a little confusing. XML data islands don't display anything. It's
therefore unclear what you arr talking about.

> The problems came when I had to filter the XML data to show only a certain
> criteria. I could not embed XQuery code into the document as I am not
> sure if there is a way to get the XQuery and Data Island to work
> together to produce only a limited record set in the output table.
>
> I then started looking at multidimensional array sorting and class
> creation and sorting, I felt as though my mind was frying. XQuery
> seems much easier but there was no easy way to use it since the Data
> Island itself is a dynamic table with a dynamic data source spanning
> different data types.
>
> I thought probably the best way to achieve a filtered XML would be to
> obtain a XQuery application (a small portable parser) that would run
> against the original XML file producing a newer modified XML with the
> needed data. I could not find such an application.
>
> Has anyone got an efficient solution to such a problem? Thank you for
> your time.

Consider using XSL to transform your XML to output. You can sort and filter
in the XSL. XSL will be available to you without installing any third party
tools and can transform XML Data Islands.


> - Nasser
>

NasserQ8
Fri Mar 02 22:24:22 CST 2007

Thank you both so much for your input. Please excuse the confusion
with the Data Island. The nature of the application is that it runs a
few external vbs files, outputs the data into a few xml files in a
directory. Which are then used to customize a few div tags in the hta
with the appropriate table->datasrc tags for each relative xml file to
create the data islands for each.

I'll look into XSL, this is completely new to me, but it sure looks
worth the trouble.

Off Topic:
I reread my previous post, and yes, I understand why you got confused.
To clarify, English is my second language :)

Regards,
Nasser