XML's going to be a lot nastier than a database, and a lot slower too. Databases are designed to efficiently store gobs of related information and to extract sets of data in a straightforward manner. XML is designed as a data trasmission format that's both human readable and machine parsable.
Surely an 'item' table with id, color, and size fields would be easier to deal with than the XML document you proposed? Certainly simpler to write 3 lines of SQL rather than a buttload of XML extraction code. However, to answer your question, there are XML-backed database engines out there, though I've never used one. cheers, barneyb On 9/13/05, Will Tomlinson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hey guys, > > I'm workin' with my new cart app project and the db schema/product > options/queries are flat out insane. Looks like NASA got involved with it! > > XML looks like it'd be much more natural in structuring the data. > <item> > <id>123</id> > <color>red</color> > <size>large</size> > </item> > > etc ... etc ... > > Is there any way I can use an XML doc instead of a db for this purpose? Or > would it be just totally inefficient? > > Thanks, > Will > -- Barney Boisvert [EMAIL PROTECTED] 360.319.6145 http://www.barneyb.com/ Got Gmail? I have 100 invites. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Logware (www.logware.us): a new and convenient web-based time tracking application. Start tracking and documenting hours spent on a project or with a client with Logware today. Try it for free with a 15 day trial account. http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=67 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:218131 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=89.70.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
