XML Editor Basics

The XML Editor window allows the creation (or display) of an XML schema fragment from the current records ASN listing. The XML Editor controls are discussed further in the next two sections, XML Editor Controls (used to control the XML production), and XML Editor Advanced Controls (controls population details and used in the translation process).

This window converts from ASN to XML. You may not edit the ASN in this window because it is presumed that the ASN is correct when called. If the ASN of the records is locked, then creating or updating the XML does not change that. It is expected that other similar translation windows for other formats (such as an NTCIP MIB or CORBA IDL) may be developed as deployment needs continue to evolve.

If the ASN is well formed (syntactically correct) the tool will automatically parse it to produce an equivalent XML rendering following the conventions of ITS (these are documented in the SAE standard Jxxx, Rules for converting from ASN to XML). It should be pointed out that ASN is a very wide ranging language with many odd special cases and clutter in its development life (now disused), including some radical changes in language syntax over the years. While this XML converter is very robust, it only handles the style of ASN used in ITS and should not be considered a general purpose tool.

The controls on the right hand side are not manually set in practice; this information is entirely derived form the ASN source code. The controls in the middle section of the dialog control how the XML is rendered and documented, and what quality checking with other records in the file is performed.

The tool is built on a common recursive descent parser and uses the templates found in the table XML_Templates of the MEdit_Settings.mdb file to build up coherent pieces of the final XML production. As you will see in the templates, various facet restrictions are parsed out of the ASN and placed into their appropriate place in the rendered XML. A variety of keywords are also placed into the ASN source code to control the conversion process to a better degree. Consult the section ASN Control KeyWords for a summary of these and their use.

If you are viewing a record's data in the read-only mode than the XML listing (if it exists) is also displayed in this window, but you can not change or edit it.

Next -> button This button moves to the next record in the table. When the last record is reached, it moves to the first record in the table. [Top]

<- Last button This button moves to the prior record in the table. When the first record is reached, it moves to the last record in the table. [Top]

Shrink-Grow button This button controls (toggles) the display of the details panel to the right of the dialog. It has been removed in recent editions of the tool as it is not longer needed. [Top]

ASN Display The complete ASN of the current record is displayed here. You can not edit it from this window; you must use the Edit-View window to make any change before calling this window. [Top]

Restore Name button This button restores the default XML name to the entry (the name is the same as the ASN name). Use this button if you have changed the ASN name since the XML was created in order to put them back in sync. [Aside: If the ASN and XML names are different the tool presumes you changed them on purpose and will not change this when it auto-updates.] [Top]

XML Display-Edit The resulting final XML is displayed here. You may edit and change this window as you see fit. If you edit it, the Allow Update... button will become UN-checked and the tool will no longer automatically update the XML (thus preserving any ASN changes you make). Save the XML when you are done. [Top]

Browser This button launches the user's XML browser to display the created XML schema fragment. [Top]

Create XML This button causes the ASN to be parsed and then translated into its equivalent XML form. Any errors in the translation will be displayed in a browser window. [Top]

Update All This button causes ALL the ASN in all the records of the current table to be parsed and then translated into its equivalent XML. Any errors in the translation will be displayed in a browser window. This button is only enabled when you enter the XML dialog from the Main Window, and not from the Edit-View Window. [Top]

Revert This button reverts the XML to the last saved version. [Top]

Save This button saves the current XML to the file, and updates the record. This button saves the current XML to the file, and updates the record. If the check box is checked, the record is always saved without asking the user. If un-checked the user will be prompted to save the record before moving to another. [Top]

Cancel This button closes the dialog and sends the user back to either the Main-Window or the Edit-View window (whichever the dialog was originally called from). [Top]

Error Button This button launches the user's XML browser to display any ERRORS that were reported when the XML schema fragment was created. Such errors relate to problems in the ASN formulations (bad code syntax) or in the related supporting records (suspicious link resolution issues).   If no errors are generated, then the button will remain hidden. [Top]