Topic 4: XML—the powered enabler

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a programming language that was originally developed to make automated inter-program communication possible. It’s a data, information, or content carrier in a structured format. Today, most software use XML as its inter-operability or inter-communication standard. XML has become a norm in the industry.

DITA bases its architecture on XML. There are many other standards like DITA that use XML. But, DITA, with its other features, gives an optimum and stunning result.

The following are the characteristics of XML:

• Contains only data or information in a hierarchical structure
• Can contain any type of data or information in any structure; it’s user defined
• Can contain the definition of data, i.e. metadata
• Can contain data in any scale; some utilize XML files as small databases
• Navigating across the hierarchical structure of data is easy; can be automated
• Doesn't do any data processing or data manipulation; rather it works as an independent layer to store and pass on data to processing programs 
• Programs can read, find and decipher the data easily, and can make use of it
• Makes automated processing possible

Example: User Profile on an Online Magazine site

Account ID: PTD234G

Account type: Personal

Account Holder Name: Tony Farrell

Photo: image1.jpg

Contact information:

                Email: tony232@gmail.com

                Mobile: 8774458954

Country: US

Preferences:

Notification:

                Mode: Email

                Frequency: Monthly

                Update: Surveys

Subscription:

                                Mode: Online

                                Resources: Leadership

                                Package: Free

                                

XML structure:

XML File:

With the above characteristics of XML, in DITA, you can:

• Define your own topic type to fit to your business format
• Define small and reusable structures of information elements that can build topics together
• Define properties or attributes of data or information to fit to different contexts
• Club topics together in different combinational arrangements to suit different purposes
• Automate the flow of topics and information elements therein to different deliveries
• Can create a centralized inventory or library to store all types of reusable data or information
• Can implement faceted and automated search methods
• Use the topics and information elements therein across many software tools and programs

Practice Assignment:

• Create a XML structure showing your academic qualifications. Write a rough XML file for the same. 

Further reading:

• XML Tutorial; http://www.w3schools.com/xml/default.asp 

Quizzes:

1) What is XML?
                a) It’s a data, information, or content carrier in a structured format.
                b) It makes automated inter-program communication possible.
                c) Both a and b.

2) Which of the following is not a characteristic of XML?
                a) It contains only data or information in a hierarchical structure.
                b) Can contain the definition of data, i.e. metadata.
                c) It processes and manipulates data or information.

3) Which of the following is a valid XML syntax?
                a) <School><Class>12th</Class></School>
                b) (Language, country=”US”)
                c) /Extensible Markup Language/

4) With XML, one can define small and reusable structures of information elements that can build topics together.
                a) True
                b) False

5) Can a XML file contain data or information with a user defined structure?
                a) Yes
                b) No



Answers:
[1 c, 2 c, 3 a, 4 a, 5 a]