Using XML with
Microsoft® Office 2003
Robert Grauer and
Maryann Barber
Committed to Shaping the Next Generation of IT Experts.1
Exploring Microsoft® Office 2003 - Grauer and Barber
Objectives
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Define XML; explain how XML differs from HTML.
Describe the XML syntax; create an XML document
using the Notepad accessory.
Explain how Internet Explorer is XML-enabled and how
Notepad is not.
Map a Word document to an XML schema.
Import and refresh XML data into an Excel worksheet.
Import XML data into an Access database; export an
Access query as an XML file.
Modify an XML document to reference a schema and a
style sheet.
Describe the purpose of Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003.
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What is XML?
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XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is an
industry standard for structuring data across
applications, operating systems, and
hardware devices
Latest of evolution of Markup Languages
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SGML – Standardized General Markup Language
HTML – Hypertext Markup Language
XML is “data about data” i.e., it describes the
data and not the formatting
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So What is a Markup Language?
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Rich Text
2 bedroom/2 bath – $600 per month – (305) 111-2222
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HTML
<B><I> 2 bedroom/2 bath – $600 per month – (305) 111-2222 </I></B>
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XML
<Apartment>
<Description> 2 bedroom/2 bath </Description>
<Rent> $600 per month </Rent>
<Telephone> (305) 111-2222 </Telephone>
</Apartment>
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What is eXtensible?
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XML tags are created by the user
<Apartment>
<Description> 2 bedroom/2 bath </Description>
<Availability> Immediate Occupancy </Availability>
<Rent> $600 per month </Rent>
<Amenities> Swimming pool; close to campus </Amenities>
<Telephone> (305)111-2222 </Telephone>
<Security> 1 month </Security>
</Apartment>
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Define additional tags as you need them
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A Simple XML Editor
Notepad can be used to
create and edit XML
XML specification (optional)
Comment statement
XML tags have element name
between brackets and are case
sensitive; the ending tag has a
slash in front of the name
Root element permits multiple occurrences of
Apartment element within one document
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Internet Explorer is XML-Aware
Nested elements are indented for
ease of understanding
Plus and minus signs show
collapsed and expanded elements
XML tags are in color
Data is in bold face
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An Iterative Process
Create document in Notepad, then view
document in Internet Explorer
Click Refresh button to
view updated document
Open editor to
modify document
Enter and save
the changes
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Errors are Not Permitted
Internet Explorer will not open a document with errors
Explanation of the error is provided
Open editor to correct the error
Enter, then save the
changes, and then
click Refresh button
to see document in
Internet Explorer
XML tags are case sensitive;
these tags do not match
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There is a Better Way . . .
InfoPath 2003 enables a developer
to create XML forms in the familiar
Office environment
Underlying schema is
displayed in a task pane
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InfoPath 2003 – User View
The user enters data into a
form which is converted to
an XML document
InfoPath is included in the
Office 2003 Enterprise
edition, but not in Office
Professional; see
office.microsoft.com/infopath
for additional information
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Microsoft Word . . .
Multiple résumés are
received by an
organization, but cannot be
processed electronically
The solution is to convert
the documents to XML,
then process the results in
an application where you
can search and select for
specific requirements
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Schema is Created Independently
Required elements
Creating a schema is a course unto itself; our purpose
is not to describe the detailed design, but rather to
make you aware of its function and overall layout
Data type is specified; e.g.,
years are integer numbers
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Attach the Schema
Pull down Tools menu, click
Templates and Add-Ins command
The same schema can be
attached to multiple documents
Indicate path of the schema
Contents of the résumé will be
checked against schema
requirements
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Map the Document
XML Structure pane
XML tags are nested
within one another
The Name element is the
parent of the FirstName and
LastName elements
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Save the XML Document
Specify XML as file type
Save data only
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The XML Document
Reference to the schema
Internet Explorer is XML-aware
Plus and minus signs show
collapsed and expanded elements
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Microsoft Excel – Import XML Data
XML data is imported as a list
XML Source pane displays the
schema and previews data
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Analyze the Data . . .
PercentOfGoal field is added
Conditional formatting is used to
highlight employees who make
goal
Company totals are also calculated
Pivot table provides additional analysis
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View the Pivot Table
Pivot table displays totals
for each city
Click Refresh button if
underlying data changes
Worksheet tabs are colored
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Update the Data in XML
Click to edit document
View original XML document
Click Refresh
button to see
updated data
This value will change
Save modified document
Change the data; e.g.,
to 3100000
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Refresh the Data
Right click anywhere within
the list to display contextsensitive menu
Refresh the data
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Microsoft Access – Import XML Table
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Create a Query from both Tables
Run the query
Dynaset displays the
results of the query
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Export the Query as XML
Location of the XML document
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Three Separate Documents
XML document has references to a
schema and a style sheet
The style sheet is created in Notepad
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Add Reference to Style Sheet
Open XML editor
No reference to a style sheet and
hence data is unformatted
Add reference to style sheet
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The Data is Formatted
Click Refresh button to view updated document
XML document can be stored locally
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Return to Apartment Listings . . .
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It is a Mail Merge . . .
The main document (form letter)
The data source
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With One Hitch
Pull down File menu to
Get External Data
Microsoft Word does not recognize
XML as a data source (you will have to
ask Microsoft for the reason)
One solution is to start Access, import
the XML document into a new
database, and then use that database
as the data source for the mail merge
Select Apartment
Listings XML document
and click Import button
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Set Access as Data Source
Select newly created Access
Locate data source
database and click the Open
button
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Complete the Mail Merge
Mail Merge toolbar appears automatically
when data source is added
Mail merge fields are added
to the document
Merged document
is a separate file
Click Next to create the
merged document
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In Conclusion . . .
XML (eXtensible Markup Language) is a public
standard and freely available. The XML syntax, known
officially as the XML recommendation, was
developed by the World Wide Web Consortium
(commonly known as W3C), a public organization with
the sole purpose of creating standards or
recommendations for the Internet. The creation of the
standards is an open process and any individual or
company can join and participate. (W3C also
published the HTML specification.) You can learn more
about the organization and its standards by visiting
their Web site at www.w3.org.
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rgrauer@miami.edu
www.prenhall.com/grauer
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