XML to DataSet Unique ID

[Ken Alexander]

Hello,

I have a very simple xml file that I am reading into a DataSet using VB.NET. The problem I am having is setting my own unique IDs for the elements. After creating a DataSet of the below XML, a new column is added to each table. In this case Product_ID is not used, but a new column of Product_ID_0 is used. From what I have read I need to use DTD to set this. I tried it as follows and no luck. I would appreciate any help.

Thank you!

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<!DOCTYPE Products [
<!ELEMENT Products ( Product+ ) >
<!ELEMENT Product ( Quantity, ItemNumber, Prompts+ ) >
<!ELEMENT Quantity (#PCDATA ) >
<!ELEMENT ItemNumber ( #PCDATA ) >
<!ATTLIST Product Name CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Product Product_ID ID #REQUIRED>
<!ELEMENT Prompts ( Prompt+ ) >
<!ATTLIST Prompt Prompts_ID ID #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Prompt Product_ID IDREF #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Prompt Name CDATA #REQUIRED>
<!ATTLIST Prompt Value CDATA #REQUIRED>
]>

<Products>
  <Product Name="Product One" Product_ID="1">
    <Quantity>2</Quantity>
    <ItemNumber>1.00</ItemNumber>
    <Prompts>
      <Prompt Prompts_ID="1" Product_ID="1" Name="Finish" Value="Yes" />
      <Prompt Prompts_ID="2" Product_ID="1" Name="Color" Value="Red" />
    </Prompts>
  </Product>
  <Product Name="Product Two" Product_ID="2">
    <Quantity>2</Quantity>
    <ItemNumber>2.00</ItemNumber>
    <Prompts>
      <Prompt Prompts_ID="3" Product_ID="2" Name="Finish" Value="Yes" />
      <Prompt Prompts_ID="4" Product_ID="2" Name="Color" Value="Red" />
    </Prompts>
  </Product>
</Products>

[Dormilich]

a DTD is used to verify whether an XML file conformes to a schema (i.e. if you execute a validating function you get either true or false as result). not more, not less.

[Ken Alexander]

Thank you for the response. I guess I misunderstood DTD. How would I set up an XML so that I can specify the ID?

[Dormilich]

XML (used to store data) itself can't do that (except XSLT, which is a kind of programming language). You need the script that creates the XML (VB.NET) to take care of that.

nevertheless, you can use a DTD to verify that the script did use unique IDs.