Using CDATA sections in XML File Layout

-produced XML File

Utilizing BIP 11g !"#$%& 'uilt-in support (or )ic* Te+t data using html2fo (unction
in (or, -eld& re.uires t*e use o( CDATA sections (or )T/ data ele,ents in t*e XML
-le" 0*en using XML File Layout to create t*e XML -le *o1e2er3 t*ere is no 'uilt-
in support to create t*ese CDATA 'loc4s" As a result3 t*e CDATA sections need to 'e
added ,anually prior to 1riting out t*e XML File"
T*is docu,ent suggests t1o di5erent ,et*ods (or acco,plis*ing t*is"
Note: All o'6ects re(erenced in t*is doc 1ill also 'e pro2ided in supple,entary
pro6ect 7/8XML8FIL/"
First3 to illustrate t*e issue3 consider t*e (ollo1ing e+a,ple9
0e:ll use ; records to 1rite out t*e XML data9
1) QE_APPLICANT_AD:
select * from PS_QE_APPLICANT_AD;
IDENTIFIER ADDRESS
------------------ -----------------------------------
12231 244 E!er"ree# Terr$ce
23423 1% &'l(ol$#) Dr*!e
3434 34 Col'm+*$ Dr*!e
2) QE_APPL_RE!ME "RTE Te#t hi$hli$hte%):
select * from PS_QE_APPL_RES,&E;
IDENTIFIER QE_RES,&E_TE-T
------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------
12231 ./0.stro#"0RTE Te1t.2stro#"0.+r 20co#t$*#*#" .30343 $#)
5.2/0
23423 RTE Te1t
3434 RTE Te1t
0e:ll use XML File Layout QE_APPLICANT t*at utilizes t*ese ; records9

T*e (ollo1ing pcode is run 2ia App /ngine QE_XML_FILE1 " It uses t*e
a(ore,entioned )ecord data to 1rite an XML -le 7/8APPLICA<T1"+,l9
Loc$l Recor) 5Rec;
Loc$l F*le 5f-&L;
Loc$l SQL 5SQL;
5f-&L 6 7etF*le84c9:tem/:QE_APPLICANT1;1ml43 4<43 4,TF-=43 >F*leP$t(_A+sol'te?;
If 5f-&L;Is@/e# T(e#
If 5f-&L;SetF*leL$Ao't8F*leL$Ao't;QE_APPLICANT? T(e#
5Rec 6 Cre$teRecor)8Recor);QE_APPLICANT_AD?;
5SQL 6 Cre$teSQL84>Select$ll891?43 5Rec?;
<(*le 5SQL;Fetc(85Rec?
5f-&L;<r*teRecor)85Rec?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.2QE_APPLICANT_AD04?;
E#)-<(*le;

5Rec 6 Cre$teRecor)8Recor);QE_APPL_RES,&E?;
5SQL 6 Cre$teSQL84>Select$ll891?43 5Rec?;
<(*le 5SQL;Fetc(85Rec?
5f-&L;<r*teRecor)85Rec?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.2QE_APPL_RES,&E04?;
E#)-<(*le;
E#)-If;
E#)-If;
5f-&L;Close8?;
Follo1ing is a snippet (ro, t*e generated +,l -le )T/ Te+t *ig*lig*ted&9
"""
=7/8APPL8)/>UM/?
=ID/<TIFI/)?1;;$1=@ID/<TIFI/)?=7/8)/>UM/8T/XT?AltBpAgtBAltBstrongAgtB)T/ Te+tAltB@strongAgtBAltB'r
@AgtBcontaining AltB3AgtB3A.uotB3 and Aa,pBAltB@pAgtB=@7/8)/>UM/8T/XT?
=@7/8APPL8)/>UM/?
"""
T*e pro'le, 1it* t*is is t*at )T/ te+t ,ust <CT 'e escaped 1it* entity re(erence
c*aracters3 and MU>T 'e in CDATA 'loc43 in order (or BIP )eporting /ngine to 'e
a'le to process it"
!&&ETI'N 1 ( !)i*$ +,itet,i*$") i*)tea% of +,iteRe-o,%") a*%
ma*ually .,iti*$ out the CDATA )e-tio* fo, ea-h i*%i/i%ual 0el%
that -o*tai*) RTE %ata
T*e (ollo1ing pcode is run 2ia App /ngine QE_XML_FILE2:
Loc$l Recor) 5Rec;
Loc$l F*le 5f-&L;
Loc$l SQL 5SQL;
5f-&L 6 7etF*le84c9:tem/:QE_APPLICANT2;1ml43 4<43 4,TF-=43 >F*leP$t(_A+sol'te?;
If 5f-&L;Is@/e# T(e#
If 5f-&L;SetF*leL$Ao't8F*leL$Ao't;QE_APPLICANT? T(e#
5Rec 6 Cre$teRecor)8Recor);QE_APPLICANT_AD?;
5SQL 6 Cre$teSQL84>Select$ll891?43 5Rec?;
<(*le 5SQL;Fetc(85Rec?
5f-&L;<r*teRecor)85Rec?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.2QE_APPLICANT_AD04?;
E#)-<(*le;

5Rec 6 Cre$teRecor)8Recor);QE_APPL_RES,&E?;
5SQL 6 Cre$teSQL84>Select$ll891?43 5Rec?;
<(*le 5SQL;Fetc(85Rec?
rem 5f-&L;<r*teRecor)85Rec?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.QE_APPL_RES,&E04?;
5f-&L;<r*teStr*#"84.IDENTIFIER04?;
5f-&L;<r*teStr*#"85Rec;IDENTIFIER;B$l'e?;
5f-&L;<r*teStr*#"84.2IDENTIFIER04?;
5f-&L;<r*teStr*#"84.QE_RES,&E_TE-T0.CDCDATAD4?;
5f-&L;<r*teStr*#"85Rec;QE_RES,&E_TE-T;B$l'e?;
5f-&L;<r*teStr*#"84EE0.2QE_RES,&E_TE-T04?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.2QE_APPL_RES,&E04?;
E#)-<(*le;
E#)-If;
E#)-If;
5f-&L;Close8?;
It is essentially t*e sa,e as t*e original code 'ut uses 0rite>tring& to indi2idually
1rite out all -elds (ro, t*e )ecord t*at contains t*e )T/ -eld" T*is is necessary to
'e a'le to 1rite t*e CDATA section string around t*e )T/ -eld contents" It 1rites to
-le 7/8APPLICA<T;"+,l
Follo1ing is a snippet (ro, t*e generated +,l -le )T/ Te+t *ig*lig*ted&9
"""
=7/8APPL8)/>UM/?
=ID/<TIFI/)?1;;$1=@ID/<TIFI/)?=7/8)/>UM/8T/XT?=DECDATAE=p?=strong?)T/ Te+t=@strong?='r
@?containing =3?3F3 and A=@p?GG?=@7/8)/>UM/8T/XT?=@7/8APPL8)/>UM/?
=7/8APPL8)/>UM/?
"""
!&&ETI'N 2 ( !)i*$ -u)tom fu*-tio* that 1a,)e) XML )t,i*$2
)ea,-hi*$ out a*% e*-lo)i*$ )1e-i0e% ta$ *ame)2 .ith CDATA
)e-tio*)
T*e (ollo1ing pcode is run 2ia App /ngine QE_XML_FILE3:
2* e#closeCDATA $cce/ts $# -&L str*#" F*t( esc$/e) RTE te1t3 $#) ret'r#s t(e s$me -&L str*#" F*t( RTE te1t
e#close) *# CDATA sect*o#
-&L eleme#ts co#t$*#*#" RTE te1t #ee) to +e *)e#t*Ge) 's*#" 5$CDATAF*el)s $rr$A of str*#"s*2
F'#ct*o# e#closeCDATA85sNoCDATA As str*#"3 5$CDATAF*el)s As $rr$A of str*#"? Ret'r#s str*#"
Loc$l str*#" 5sCDATA3 5sEscT1t3 5s,#EscT1t;
Loc$l str*#" 5t$"3 5t$"E#);
Loc$l str*#" 5t$"CDATA 6 4.CDCDATAD4;
Loc$l str*#" 5t$"E#)CDATA 6 4EE04;
Loc$l #'m+er 5#Pos13 5#Pos2;

If 5$CDATAF*el)s .0 N'll T(e#
For 5* 6 1 To 5$CDATAF*el)s;Le#
5t$" 6 4.4 H 5$CDATAF*el)s D5*E H 404;
5t$"E#) 6 4.24 H 5$CDATAF*el)s D5*E H 404;
5sCDATA 6 44;

2* G#) RTE eleme#ts *2
5#Pos1 6 1;
5#Pos2 6 F*#)85t$"3 5sNoCDATA3 5#Pos1?;

2* $s lo#" $s RTE eleme#ts $re fo'#)3 -&L Gle str*#" *s re+'*lt3 s'rro'#)*#" RTE eleme#ts F*t( CDATA *2
<(*le 5#Pos2 0 I
5sCDATA 6 5sCDATA H S'+str*#"85sNoCDATA3 5#Pos13 85#Pos2 - 5#Pos1 J Le#85t$"??? H 5t$"CDATA;

5#Pos1 6 5#Pos2 J Le#85t$"?;
5#Pos2 6 F*#)85t$"E#)3 5sNoCDATA3 5#Pos1?;
If 5#Pos2 .0 5#Pos1 T(e#
5sEscT1t 6 S'+str*#"85sNoCDATA3 5#Pos13 5#Pos2 - 5#Pos1?;
5s,#EscT1t 6 Str*/@KLtmlT$"s85sEscT1t?;
5sCDATA 6 5sCDATA H 5s,#EscT1t;
E#)-If;
5sCDATA 6 5sCDATA H 5t$"E#)CDATA H 5t$"E#);

2* se$rc( for #e1t *#st$#ce of RTE eleme#t *2
5#Pos1 6 5#Pos2 J Le#85t$"E#)?;
5#Pos2 6 F*#)85t$"3 5sNoCDATA3 5#Pos1?;
E#)-<(*le;

2* com/lete Fr*t*#" o't mo)*Ge) -&L str*#" $#) re/l$ce or*"*#$l 5sNoCDATA str*#" F*t( t(*s str*#" 8for
#e1t *ter$t*o# of loo/?*2
5sCDATA 6 5sCDATA H S'+str*#"85sNoCDATA3 5#Pos13 8Le#85sNoCDATA? - 5#Pos1 J 1??;
5sNoCDATA 6 5sCDATA;
E#)-For;
Else
2* *f #o#e of t(e s/ec*Ge) Gel)s $re fo'#)3 ret'r# or*"*#$l '#mo)*Ge) str*#"*2
5sCDATA 6 5sNoCDATA;
E#)-If;

Ret'r# 5sCDATA;
E#)-F'#ct*o#;
Loc$l Recor) 5Rec;
Loc$l F*le 5f-&L;
Loc$l SQL 5SQL;
5f-&L 6 7etF*le84c9:tem/:QE_APPLICANT3;1ml43 4<43 4,TF-=43 >F*leP$t(_A+sol'te?;
If 5f-&L;Is@/e# T(e#
If 5f-&L;SetF*leL$Ao't8F*leL$Ao't;QE_APPLICANT? T(e#
5Rec 6 Cre$teRecor)8Recor);QE_APPLICANT_AD?;
5SQL 6 Cre$teSQL84>Select$ll891?43 5Rec?;
<(*le 5SQL;Fetc(85Rec?
5f-&L;<r*teRecor)85Rec?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.2QE_APPLICANT_AD04?;
E#)-<(*le;

5Rec 6 Cre$teRecor)8Recor);QE_APPL_RES,&E?;
5SQL 6 Cre$teSQL84>Select$ll891?43 5Rec?;
<(*le 5SQL;Fetc(85Rec?
5f-&L;<r*teRecor)85Rec?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.2QE_APPL_RES,&E04?;
E#)-<(*le;
E#)-If;
E#)-If;
Loc$l str*#" 5sD$t$ 6 5f-&L;7etStr*#"8?;
Loc$l $rr$A of str*#" 5$RTEF*el)s;
5$RTEF*el)s 6 Cre$teArr$A84QE_RES,&E_TE-T4?;
2* '#comme#t folloF*#" st$teme#t for e$c( $))*t*o#$l Gel)2t$" t($t co#t$*#s RTE te1t*2
rem 5$RTEF*el)s;P's(84QE_ADDITI@NAL_RTE_TE-T4?;
5sD$t$ 6 e#closeCDATA85sD$t$3 5$RTEF*el)s?;
2* 7etStr*#" closes t(e Gle so m'st reo/e#; *2
5f-&L 6 7etF*le84c9:tem/:QE_APPLICANT3;1ml43 4<43 4,TF-=43 >F*leP$t(_A+sol'te?;
If 5f-&L;Is@/e# T(e#
5f-&L;<r*teStr*#"85sD$t$?;
5f-&L;<r*teL*#e84.2APPLICATI@N04?;
5f-&L;Close8?;
E#)-If;
Follo1ing is a snippet (ro, t*e generated +,l -le )T/ Te+t *ig*lig*ted&9
"""
=7/8APPL8)/>UM/?
=ID/<TIFI/)?1;;$1=@ID/<TIFI/)?=7/8)/>UM/8T/XT?=DECDATAE=p?=strong?)T/ Te+t=@strong?='r
@?containing =3?3F3 and A=@p?GG?=@7/8)/>UM/8T/XT?
=@7/8APPL8)/>UM/?
"""
T*is code is t*e sa,e as t*e original e+cept (or t*e additional lines9
Loc$l str*#" 5sD$t$ 6 5f-&L;7etStr*#"8?;
;;;
E#)-If;
/ssentially3 t*e XML -le string is read and parsed3 'y calling ne1ly created (unction
e#closeCDATA8?; T*e ,odi-ed string is t*en 1ritten to -le"
T*e (unction parses t*roug* t*e entire XML string3 searc*ing (or )T/ tags speci-ed
as a para,eter to t*e (unction" T*is para,eter is an Array o( strings3 so t*at
,ultiple )T/ -elds can 'e speci-ed" T*e (unction 'ot* 1raps t*e content (or
speci-ed -elds3 in CDATA section3 as 1ell as unescapes it to re,o2e t*e entity
re(erence su'stitutions"
In conclusion3 t*ere are 'ene-ts and dra1'ac4s to eit*er ,et*od t*at need to 'e
considered9
u$$e)tio* 1 ( !)i*$ +,itet,i*$") i*)tea% of +,iteRe-o,%") fo, )1e-i0-
RTE Fiel% Re-o,%
Ad2antages9
- <o additional parsing and re-1riting o( t*e XML -le is re.uired since eac*
o( t*e )T/ -elds are *andled 1*ile generating XML -le" T*is translates to
4ette, ,u*time 1e,fo,ma*-e"
Disad2antages9
- >ince eac* )T/ )ecords@Field is *andled indi2idually3 i( t*ere are ,ore
t*an one )T/ -eld in t*e data source3 t*en eac* *as to 'e *andled
indi2idually3 resulting in t*e addition o( *ardcoded H-+I applied to ,ultiple
areas o( t*e code3 ma5i*$ mai*te*a*-e a*% futu,e u1%ate) ha,%e,
a*% mo,e time -o*)umi*$ to im1leme*t"
- T*is ,et*od in*erently re.uires t*at all -elds in t*e record containing
)T/ -eld&3 'e 1ritten out indi2idually 2ia t*e 0rite>tring& ,et*od3 as
opposed to 1riting t*e entire record contents 2ia a single call to
0rite)ecord&" T*is can also im1a-t mai*te*a*-e a*% futu,e u1%ate)"
u$$e)tio* 2 ( !)i*$ -u)tom fu*-tio* to 1a,)e XML 0le -o*te*t) a*%
,e.,ite it
Ad2antages9
- Multiple )T/ -elds can 'e *andled 2ia t*e sa,e generic (unction call"
Futu,e -o%e mai*te*a*-e i) mo,e ma*a$ea4le6
- +,iteRe-o,%") -a* -o*ti*ue to 4e u)e%" >o i( a record contains +
nu,'er o( -elds3 including t*e )T/ -eld3 eac* o( t*ose -elds does <CT
need to 'e 1ritten out indi2idually using 0rite>tring&"
- Cu)tom fu*-tio* -a* 4e ma%e a utility fu*-tio*3 and called in any
A/@Pcode t*at needs to *andle )T/ in generated XML -le" T*is si,ilar to
point 13 i,pro2es code ,anagea'ility and ,aintenance"
Disad2antages9
- >ince XML File does *a2e to 'e parsed@re1ritten X nu,'er o( ti,es +
'eing t*e nu,'er o( )T/ -elds speci-ed as a para,eter&3 t*is .ill im1a-t
,u*time 1e,fo,ma*-e e)1e-ially if XML 0le i) la,$e to 4e$i* .ith6
FINAL N'TE AND !&&ETI'N:
Due to t*e co,ple+ities in 1rapping )T/ data in CDATA section 1*en using an XML
File Layout to 1rite an XML File3 it is suggested t*at XMLDo- o'6ect 'e used instead
to generate t*e XML File" XMLDoc *as 'uilt-in API (or 1riting data to a CDATA section
XML<ode:s AddCData>ection&&" T*is a2oids t*e pit(alls ,entioned in 'ot*
suggestions pre2iously descri'ed3 'y a2oiding eit*er *ardcoded special *andling per
)T/ -eld in t*e data source3 as 1ell as a2oiding t*e per(or,ance i,pact o( parsing
and re1riting t*e XML -le 2ia a custo, (unction"
P,o7e-t QE_XML_FILE A11li-atio* i*)t,u-tio*):
1& Copy JP)CK/CT>J7/8XML8FIL/ to LP>MCM/LJPro6ects (older and i,port into
en2 using App Designer
;& )un rel script JscriptsJi,port"s.l 2ia a >7L Client tool suc* as >7L De2eloper
to 'uild t*e ne1 records
$& Copy JdataJP>87/8APPLICA<T8AD"dat and P>87/8APPL8)/>UM/"dat to
LP>MCM/LJdata (older" )un script JscriptsJi,port87/8XML8FIL/"d,s 2ia Data
Mo2er psd,t"e+e& to populate ne1 records 1it* test data"