XML Extensible Markup Language

Markup Languages u What does this number (100) mean? –Actually, it’s just a string of characters! –A markup language can be used to distinguish this string of characters from other strings and to add some meaning to it v A markup language is simply a computer language of codes and tags (a.k.a. containers) v 100

Markup for Web Pages u The standard markup language used to create Web pages is HTML –HTML (HyperText Markup Language) v A fixed set of tags (elements … containers) that tell a Web browser how to display a document containing text and data v Contains your document’s title v Contains your document’s information v For centering things v For large text v

HTML (continued) u u My Web document u u My professor’s weight is 100 u HTML is used to display documents with a web browser, but HTML cannot be used by other applications because it does not add any INFORMATION about the data being transmitted.

XML: eXtensible Markup Language u Extensible: that which can be extended, it is flexible, and can be added to. u XML adds meaning or context to the data that is being transmitted. – 100 u Because XML can be used to describe data, businesses are beginning to adopt it as the “new” standard for EDI (Electronic Data Interchange). XML is directly usable over the Internet and it can be used to store, deliver, and exchange information over and between networks.

How Would You Describe u A person –Last Name –First Name –Age –Gender –Hair Color –Weight –Height –Birthdate –College Major u A building at KSU –Name –Location –When Built –Architect –Primary College Using the Building u A university in the Big 12 –Name –City –State –Mascot –Abbreviation –Color (primary school color)

(an XML instance document) u – v Kansas State University v Manhattan v Kansas v Wildcat v KSU v Purple – v University of Kansas v Lawrence v Kansas v Jayhawk v KU v Blue – u

Instance Document A tree hierarchy that describes the overall data content SelectedBig12Universities University NameCityStateMascot AbbreviationColor NameCityStateMascot Abbreviation Color NameCityStateMascot Abbreviation Color Root element: Selected Big 12 Universities Mid-level elements: individual universities Individual data content

Core XML Technologies u The XML Instance document –Stores data in a hierarchical format –XML Instance documents are the heart of XML. u XML Schemas –Defines the structure of a valid XML instance document and the types of values that elements may hold. –XML Schemas are used to validate the XML instance documents. Someone who has your schema knows what the information that you will be sending them or exchanging with them will look like. u XSL (the extensible Stylesheet Language) –Describes how the XML data should be displayed –Used to convert an XML instance document from one format to another. Some of the formatting can be undertaken using HTML.

An XML Instance Document u – v Kansas State University v Manhattan v Kansas v Wildcat v KSU v Purple – v University of Kansas v Lawrence v Kansas v Jayhawk v KU v Blue – u Follows a hierarchical format that you can expand or collapse Link

Inventory Schema u A description of the rules that “valid” XML instance documents must follow. u Applications that understand a schema know what to expect and can process any associated, valid documents. Schemas define the content, organization, and structure of valid instance documents.

Schema in e-business u If you are an e-business and you want to share and automatically process xml documents with your business partners, you will need schemas to define the rules that your instance documents follow and the rules that your partners’ documents follow. You will share your schemas with your business partners so that all of you can accurately process each others’ XML documents. u XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) is a specific XML schema that describes the elements/data in financial statements.

Schema in e-business u Accounting firms and government agencies are working on schemas used to distribute financial reports. u Schemas are being developed to facilitate the transfer of financial information between banks, businesses, and customers. u e-Businesses are developing schemas to transfer business transaction information via the Internet. u The IRS is developing schemas for tax reporting and electronic filing. u XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) is a specific XML schema that describes the elements/data in financial statements.

Language of Love for Mutual Funds XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) XBRL is one of the XML schemas (a specific set of rules that documents of a certain type must follow) If your organization is required to report data to a regulatory body, they will dictate the rules that you have to follow when doing your reporting. That is where schemas come into play. If data has been “tagged” using XML/XBRL, then it is very easy to pull relevant data from long reports/filings, and then be able to analyze and compare data across many different sources. –After some sort of computer program is created, with the click of a mouse, an XML processor can retrieve tagged data from whatever data repository it is in

Used to format instance documents The XSL Stylesheet

XSL Stylesheet Item Cost QOH TOTAL 5 row, 4 column table with multiple cells

Well-Formed XML Instance Documents u Well-formed XML documents can be processed by an XML processor. –Internet Explorer can serve as an XML processor. –XML is also a feature built into Microsoft Office (beginning with XP) u A well-formed XML document obeys all of the XML syntax rules. –There is one and only one root element. –Tags must balance – every opening tag must have a closing tag. –XML is case sensitive – upper and lowercase characters are different. –Opening and closing tags must be the same, except the closing tag starts with a slash (/). WF NWF

XML Summary Extensible Markup Language u HTML was designed to display data and to focus on how data looks. u XML was designed to describe data and to focus on what data is. u XML Technologies –Instance documents hold data. –Schemas define valid documents (what they look like and what they must contain) –Stylesheets describe how to format the data. u XML is the new foundation/standard for exchanging business documents electronically.

u Instance Documents A tree hierarchy: – Parents … children … “leaf” nodes inventory item nameidcolorqoh weightcosttype nameidcolorqoh weightcosttype nameidcolorqoh weightcosttype One root element: inventory Mid-level elements: individual items Individual data content

The End

XML Extensible Markup Language

XML: Extensible Markup Language u HTML was designed to display data and to focus on how data looks. u XML was designed to describe data and to focus on what data is. –Extensible: that which can be extended, it is flexible, and can be added to. –XML adds meaning or context to the data that is being transmitted. v 100 HTML is used to display documents with a web browser, but HTML cannot be used by other applications because it does not add any INFORMATION about the data being transmitted.

Core XML Technologies u The XML Instance document –Stores data in a hierarchical format –XML Instance documents are the heart of XML. u XML Schemas –Defines the structure of a valid XML instance document and the types of values that elements may hold. –XML Schemas are used to validate the XML instance documents. Someone who has your schema knows what the information that you will be sending them or exchanging with them will look like. u XSL (the extensible Stylesheet Language) –Describes how the XML data should be displayed –Used to convert an XML instance document from one format to another. Some of the formatting can be undertaken using HTML.

Example of Instance Document Coding

u Instance Documents A tree hierarchy: – Parents … children … “leaf” nodes inventory item nameidcolorqoh weightcosttype nameidcolorqoh weightcosttype nameidcolorqoh weightcosttype One root element: inventory Mid-level elements: individual items Individual data content

Inventory Schema u A description of the rules that “valid” XML instance documents must follow. u Applications that understand a schema know what to expect and can process any associated, valid documents. Schemas define the content, organization, and structure of valid instance documents.

Used to format instance documents The XSL Stylesheet Instance document with stylesheet call

XML Summary Extensible Markup Language u HTML was designed to display data and to focus on how data looks. u XML was designed to describe data and to focus on what data is. u XML Technologies –Instance documents hold data. –Schemas define valid documents (what they look like and what they must contain) –Stylesheets describe how to format the data. u XML is the new foundation/standard for exchanging business documents electronically.

Extra Slides

How Would You Describe u A person –Last Name –First Name –Age –Gender –Hair Color –Weight –Height –Birthdate –College Major u A building at KSU –Name –Location –When Built –Architect –Primary College Using the Building u A university in the Big 12 –Name –City –State –Mascot –Abbreviation –Color (primary school color)

XML in e-business u If you owned an e-business, how would you describe your inventory items? –Name – a name for an item –Description – a brief description of an item –Color –Weight –QOH (Quantity on Hand) –ID Number –Cost –Retail Price –Type u It really depends on what is important for your particular business & operations!

Language of Love for Mutual Funds XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) XBRL is one of the XML schemas (a specific set of rules that documents of a certain type must follow) If your organization is required to report data to a regulatory body, they will dictate the rules that you have to follow when doing your reporting. That is where schemas come into play. If data has been “tagged” using XML/XBRL, then it is very easy to pull relevant data from long reports/filings, and then be able to analyze and compare data across many different sources. –After some sort of computer program is created, with the click of a mouse, an XML processor can retrieve tagged data from whatever data repository it is in