Intimate contact XML (3)---XML and business-to-business

Xml

With XML, you can exchange financial information on the Internet. In the near future, we can expect to see the use of XML and business-to-business. XML is about to become the primary language for exchanging financial information between businesses on the Internet. A large number of interesting business-to-business applications are under development.

XML can be used to share data

With XML, plain text files can be used to share data. Because XML data is stored in plain text format, XML provides a way of sharing data that is independent of software and hardware. This makes it easier to create data that can be used by different applications. Also, it is easier to extend or upgrade the system to a new operating system, server, application, and new browsers.

XML can be used to store data

With XML, you can store data in plain text files. XML can be used to store data in a file or database. You can write applications to store data and recover stored data, and you can display data in a normal application.

XML can make your data more useful

With XML, more users can use your data. Because XML is independent of hardware, software, and applications, you can make your data available to other applications outside of standard HTML browsers. Other customers and browsers can access your XML files as a data source, just as they would access a database. Your data is available to all "reading machines" (proxies), and it also makes your data easier to use by blind or disabled people.

XML can be used to create a new language

XML is the mother of WAP and WML. Wireless Markup Language (WML) is used to mark portable device Internet applications such as mobile phones, and is written in XML. Information about WML can be read W3Schools ' WML School.

If the developer has a vision,

If they have a vision, all future applications will use XML to store the data. Future word handlers, spreadsheet applications, and databases can read each other's data in plain text format without needing any tools to convert to each other. We can only hope that Microsoft and other software vendors will agree.

Syntax FOR XML

The syntax rules for XML are very simple and rigorous, and these rules are both easy to learn and easy to use. Therefore, it is easy to create an application that can read and manipulate XML.

An XML Document sample

XML documents use a simple syntax that is self-describing.

< XML version= "1.0"?>
< note>
< to>tove</to>
< from>jani</from>
< heading>reminder< Body>don ' t forget me this weekend!</body>
</note>

The first line in the document--xml declaration--Defines the XML version of the document. Here the documentation follows the 1.0 version of the XML rule.

The next line describes the root element of the document (it's like saying "This document is a note").


< note>

The following 4 lines describe the 4 child elements of the root element (to, from, heading, and body):

< to>tove</to>
< from>jani</from>
< heading>reminder< Body>don ' t forget me this weekend!</body>

The last line defines the end of the root element:

</note>

Can you see that the example of this XML document contains the note that Jani gave Tove? Do you agree that "XML is quite self-describing"?

All XML elements must have an end tag

In XML, omitting the end tag is illegal. Some elements in HTML do not need to have end tags. The following code is legal in HTML:

< P>this is a paragraph
< P>this is another paragraph