Build XML-Connected Web Apps in Servoy

Servoy is a rapid application development and deployment platform. When paired with the CData JDBC Driver for XML, users can build XML-connected apps that work with live XML data. This article describes how to connect to XML from Servoy and build a simple web app to display and search XML data.

With built-in optimized data processing, the CData JDBC Driver offers unmatched performance for interacting with live XML data. When you issue complex SQL queries to XML, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to XML and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations client-side (often SQL functions and JOIN operations). Its built-in dynamic metadata querying lets you work with XML data using native data types.

Connect to XML in Servoy Developer

To build XML-connected apps, you need to first create a data provider in Servoy Developer using the CData JDBC Driver for XML.

1. Install the JDBC Driver.
2. Copy the JDBC Driver JAR file. (cdata.jdbc.xml.jar) to the /application_server/drivers/ directory in the installation directory for Servoy.
3. Open Servoy Developer.
4. In the Solution Explorer, right-click Database Server (under Resources) and choose "Connect to existing database" -> "empty."
   1. Name the server.
   2. Click to show the advanced server settings.

      • Set the URL, for example: jdbc:xml:URI=C:/people.xml;DataModel=Relational;

        Built-In Connection String Designer

        For assistance in constructing the JDBC URL, use the connection string designer built into the XML JDBC Driver. Either double-click the JAR file or execute the jar file from the command-line.

        				java -jar cdata.jdbc.xml.jar
        				

        Fill in the connection properties and copy the connection string to the clipboard.

        Connecting to Local or Cloud-Stored (Box, Google Drive, Amazon S3, SharePoint) XML Files

        CData Drivers let you work with XML files stored locally and stored in cloud storage services like Box, Amazon S3, Google Drive, or SharePoint, right where they are.

        Setting connection properties for local files

        Set the URI property to local folder path.

        Setting connection properties for files stored in Amazon S3

        To connect to XML file(s) within Amazon S3, set the URI property to the URI of the Bucket and Folder where the intended XML files exist. In addition, at least set these properties:

        • AWSAccessKey: AWS Access Key (username)
        • AWSSecretKey: AWS Secret Key

        Setting connection properties for files stored in Box

        To connect to XML file(s) within Box, set the URI property to the URI of the folder that includes the intended XML file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect to Box.

        Dropbox

        To connect to XML file(s) within Dropbox, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the folder that includes the intended XML file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect to Dropbox. Either User Account or Service Account can be used to authenticate.

        SharePoint Online (SOAP)

        To connect to XML file(s) within SharePoint with SOAP Schema, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the document library that includes the intended XML file. Set User, Password, and StorageBaseURL.

        SharePoint Online REST

        To connect to XML file(s) within SharePoint with REST Schema, set the URI proprerty to the URI of the document library that includes the intended XML file. StorageBaseURL is optional. If not set, the driver will use the root drive. OAuth is used to authenticate.

        Google Drive

        To connect to XML file(s) within Google Drive, set the URI property to the URI of the folder that includes the intended XML file(s). Use the OAuth authentication method to connect and set InitiateOAuth to GETANDREFRESH.

        The property is the controlling property over how your data is represented into tables and toggles the following basic configurations.

        • Document (default): Model a top-level, document view of your XML data. The data provider returns nested elements as aggregates of data.
        • FlattenedDocuments: Implicitly join nested documents and their parents into a single table.
        • Relational: Return individual, related tables from hierarchical data. The tables contain a primary key and a foreign key that links to the parent document.

        See the Modeling XML Data chapter for more information on configuring the relational representation. You will also find the sample data used in the following examples. The data includes entries for people, the cars they own, and various maintenance services performed on those cars.

        👁 Using the built-in connection string designer to generate a JDBC URL (Salesforce is shown.)
        
      • Select the Driver class you just copied, for example, cdata.jdbc.xml.XMLDriver
   👁 Connecting to data through the JDBC Driver (Salesforce is shown).
   

Build a XML-Connected Web App

Once you have configured the connection to XML in the Servoy Developer resources, you are ready to build apps with access to live XML data.

Create a New Solution

1. In the Server Explorer, right-click "All solutions" and select "Create new solution."
2. Name the solution.
3. Select the checkbox to include the "search" module.
4. Click "Finish."

Create a New Form

Right-click "Forms" and select "Create new form."

1. Name the form.
2. Select a Datasource.
3. Set the type (e.g., Simple) and click "Finish."

Add a Data Grid to the Form

1. Drag a Data Grid component (from Servoy NG-Grids) onto the form.

2. Drag a column component onto the Data Grid and set the "dataprovider" property for each column component to a column from the XML "table" (e.g., [ personal.name.first ] from the people table).

   Continue adding columns as desired.

Add Searching to the App

Note that the "svySearch" extension is required to add search functionality (included by default when you create a new solution). If you did not add the extension when you created the solution or you are modifying an existing solution, you can add the search module by right-clicking Modules (in the solution) and selecting "Add Module." Select "svySearch" and click "OK."

1. Drag a Text Field component onto the Form.
2. Right-click the Form and select "Open in Script Editor."
3. Create a new variable (JavaScript) to hold the search value:

   var searchText = '';
   

4. Back on the Form, in the Text Field properties:
   1. Set the "dataprovider" property to the Form variable you just created.
   2. Double-click to add a method for the onAction event.
   3. Click to create the method in "Form," name the method (e.g., onEnter), and click "Create private."
   4. Click "OK & Show."
5. Add the following JavaScript to the JavaScript file to use the Servoy framework to implement searching bound data based on the text in the Text Field:

   var search = scopes.svySearch.createSimpleSearch(foundset).setSearchText(searchText);
   search.setSearchAllColumns();
   search.loadRecords(foundset);
   

Save and Launch the App

Save the form and JavaScript file, then click Run -> Launch NGClient to start the web app.

Download a free, 30-day trial of the CData JDBC Driver for XML and start building XML-connected apps with Servoy. Reach out to our Support Team if you have any questions.