From: bbense+comp.lang.ruby.Sep.12.02@...
Date: 2002-09-13T03:20:39+09:00
Subject: Re: using REXML for XML document creation

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In article <20020912020359.GB8028@caliban.org>,
Ian Macdonald  <ian@caliban.org> wrote:
>On Thu 12 Sep 2002 at 10:23:12 +0900, David Naseby wrote:
>
>> Try :
>>    doc = REXML::Document.new
>>    elt = doc.add_element("ADDRESSBOOK")
>>    parent = elt.add_element("CONTACTS")
>>    aContact = parent.add_element("CONTACT")
>>    aContact.add_attribute("FileAs","Macdonald, Ian") 
>>    aContact = parent.add_element("CONTACT")
>>    aContact.add_attribute("FileAs","Contact, Another") 
>>    aContact = parent.add_element("CONTACT")
>>    aContact.add_attribute("FileAs","Contact, YetAnother") 
>> 
>> Keep the reference to the parent element, and keep adding to it.
>
>Thanks. I'm not finding this module intuitive, which is in no way
>intended as a criticism of REXML. Things which are essentially very
>easy aren't coded in a way that is obvious to me.
>

- - XML only LOOKS obvious. I've only dabbled in it, but gets
  pretty complex when you want to do real things. It doesn't
  make things easy, only standardized. 

- - However, perhaps a more complex example[1] might actually make
  this simpler. I think the variable names[2] above are confusing
  the issue.  
  
  contactNames = [ "name, one", "name, two", "name, three"]

  doc = REXML::Document.new
  addrbook = doc.add_element("ADDRESSBOOK") 
  contactList = addrbook.add_element("CONTACTS")
  
  contactNames.each do |name| 
     contactList.add_element("CONTACT").add_attribute("FileAs", name)     
  end 

- - Booker C. Bense

[1]- WARNING: untested code.... 

[2]- Maybe it's just me, but that kind of use of "temp" variables
     is a "code smell" to me. It seems very un-ruby like, no
     offense intended. 
  
  

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