How to work with XML objects

An XML object stores definition of a defined scope of Alfabet functionality in a predefined XML structure. For example, XML objects store the definition of APIs with third-party components and the exclusion of file types from upload to Alfabet.

XML objects are available in the Presentation tab under XML Objects. Only protected XML objects can be edited. Private XML objects are view-only.

Edit the XML object. Double-click the XML object to open it in an XML editor. You can change the values of the XML attributes. Some configurations require definition of additional XML elements. For example, if you define a number of different APIs to the same third-party component, you must add another connection definition element in the XML object for each connection to a third-party component. Your specification must be XML compliant and follow the following additional rules:

• If you enter the name of an object class or property (standard and custom), you must enter the correct value of the Name attribute of the object class. In some cases, the name deviates from the caption of the object class displayed in the Alfabet interface. A misspelled name will be ignored and could be a source of error in the solution.
• Boolean values should be written in lower-case letters (true / false ). Please note that errors may occur in the implementation if Boolean values are entered in upper-case letters (TRUE / FALSE).
• Lists must be comma-separated with no empty spaces. For example, for the XML attribute MappingClasses , you would enter: Domain,BusinessFunction,ITMasterPlanMap,ITStrategyMap
• If a color is to be defined for an XML attribute, you must enter a Windows, Web, hexadecimal, or RGB color value.
• Special characters should be avoided unless explicitly required for an XML attribute.
• If you want to enter a string that contains special characters (for example, a greater than (>) or lesser than (<) symbol), you must replace the special characters with respective XML compliant code, for example:
  • &gt; for >
  • &lt; for <
  • &quot; for '
  • &#091; for [
  • &#093; for ]
• If you define an Alfabet query, the default specification of show and sort properties that is the standard output of the Alfabet query builder is an XML definition that cannot be pasted as-is into an XML attribute. Use one of the following ways to make the query XML compliant:
  • Substitute all brackets with the XML compliant code.
  • Rewrite the show and sort properties with the syntax: SHOW or SORT followed by ObjectClassName.PropertyName. You can define multiple properties separated by a whitespace.

    For example:

    • • SHOW Application.Name Application.ID Application.StartDate
      • SORT Application.Name

    This syntax cannot be used in combination with instructions.

Click the Save   button in the toolbar of Alfabet Expand to save your XML definition.

Correct your XML definition. The XML editor in the middle pane of Alfabet Expand provides verification of the XML syntax by means of Microsoft® IntelliSense® technology. Any errors in syntax will be reported with color-coding and can be immediately corrected:

• Purple errors represent mistakes in the XML element.
• Red errors represent mistakes in the XML attribute.
• Blue errors represent mistakes in the XML attribute value.
• The order of child elements in an XML element should not be changed.
• Errors are only reported for mistakes in the XML syntax. You must ensure that the value defined for the XML attribute is relevant. (For example, that class names are correctly spelled, that 'true ' or 'false' is entered for a Boolean property type, that lists are comma-separated with no empty spaces, etc.)

Get informed about the XML structureThe attributes of XML objects provide additional information about the structure of hte XML:

• XML XSD: Open the editor to view the XSD specification. The specification informs about all allowed XML elements and attributes and their order in the top-level XML element of the XML object.

  Open an editor for an attribute

  Click in the attribute value field. A button for opening the editor appears on the right of the field.

• XML Template: Open the editor to view the standard configuration of the XML definition. At any point, you can replace your configuration with the standard definition. Right-click the XML object and select Replace Configuration with Default Values.

  Open an editor for an attribute

  Click in the attribute value field. A button for opening the editor appears on the right of the field.

• XML Definition: Opens your current configuration of the XML object in an alternative, simpler editor.

Apply workspaces. If your configuration is based on one of the predefined Alfabet solutions, each XML object shows a Workspacesub-node with different sub-nodes in the explorer. You can any time take over the configuration of one of the preconfigured solutions instead of your own configuration.

Use server variables in XML objects. You can substitute the values of some XML attributes with server variables. The value of the XML attribute will then be read from the current server variable value in the Variables tab of the server alias. You can only use server variables if this is explicitly specified for the XML attribute in the documentation of the XML object.