Database Reference
In-Depth Information
UP TO SPEED: XML AND HTTP
Sometimes the XML data you want to import is in a file on your computer. But a big part of the
XML data source feature's power is that FileMaker can also get XML data from other computers us-
ing
HTTP
, or Hypertext Transport Protocol. You probably recognize this acronym because it usually
sits in front of web addresses (as in
http://www.missingmanuals.com
). HTTP is the way web
browsers talk to websites, but it's used for a lot more than that. Often, companies make important
information available on HTTP servers in XML format. It's this kind of information that FileMaker
wants to let you tap into:
Many news-oriented websites make headlines and article excerpts available in XML formats called
RSS or Atom. Using the XML Data Source feature in FileMaker, you could import news directly in-
to your FileMaker database.
You can grab current or historical exchange rates from various sources to perform accurate currency
conversions in FileMaker.
Some shippers let you track packages by downloading XML data. You can build package tracking
right into FileMaker Pro.
FileMaker's XML import does have two significant limitations. First, it can't access data that's
available only over a secure connection (in other words, it doesn't support HTTP over SSL, or
HTTPS). If the data you need to access is available only in this form, you need to find another way.
Second, some XML data sources need information passed to them as
post arguments
—the equival-
ent of form fields on some web pages. FileMaker can't send post arguments with the URL. Luckily,
most data sources let you pass this information as part of the URL instead. Refer to the documenta-
tion for your data source for details.
When you're finished choosing XML and XSL options, click Continue. FileMaker processes
the XML and XSLT (which may take a few minutes) and then shows you the Import Field
Mapping dialog box. From there, you can proceed like any import, as described earlier in this
chapter.
XML Export
When you export to XML, FileMaker exports the data in the FMPXMLRESULT format and
then applies the style sheet. You create the style sheet to translate this XML into the appro-
priate format for your intended recipient. You have slightly more flexibility when exporting
than when importing: XSLT can translate only XML documents, but it can
produce
any text-
based format. So although you can import only XML files, you can export just about any-
thing.
