Using XML to store user data

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Alex - 20 Jul 2007 21:46 GMT

Hey Guys..

I'm just now starting to learn VB 2005, but I have a question that
might help me in the long run. I hope to write applications which
store user data, and without wanting the user to always have an MS SQL
database (or other DB) on hand, is it possible to have VB 2005 store
all data in XML files? It might be a substancial amount of data, like
hundreds of records, but given these files are never edited manually,
can XML handle this?

Just curious...

Alex

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sloan - 20 Jul 2007 22:12 GMT

Yeah, you can.

The best thing is to code to a (strongly typed) DataSet.

A dataset can be loaded from either xml OR a database OR (any other
datastore)

So you don't screw yourself if you find performance is bad, and you need a
more robust solution.

100's of records? Hmmm. You better test it.

If its read-only most of time, you can also code Cache items (and Cache
dependencies for when the data changes)

............

I use small strong datasets for small amounts of data.
But using the file based Sql Express is a good option as well.

sloan
http://sholliday.spaces.live.com/Blog/cns!A68482B9628A842A!140.entry

> Hey Guys..
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Alex

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Mr. Arnold - 20 Jul 2007 22:22 GMT

> Hey Guys..
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Just curious...

XML is just text with some tags to identify data within them. I have had
millions upon millions upon millions of bytes sent and received using XML
over the Internet encrypted in a secure connection.

Sure you can do that about what you're wanting to do. But consider the
security and confidentiality risks of data, since the data on the machine
can be opened, read by other programs or viewed.

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Alex - 25 Jul 2007 21:24 GMT

>> Hey Guys..
>>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> security and confidentiality risks of data, since the data on the machine
> can be opened, read by other programs or viewed.

The types of applications I thought about writing to store data in XML would
be like a movie database or other home-type applications where the data
wasn't critical. For Enterprise applications most definitely MS SQL or
similar would be used for security. I'd like to possibly write software to
use at home and share with others, and ideally if they don't have to mess
with installing and setting-up a database, that'd be ideal.

Thanks for the info.. I've actually learned a ton since posting that
message, and though I've not gotten to creating XML databases from VB just
yet, I'm starting to see how it's possible.

Take care --

Alex

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Using XML to store user data

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