Working with XML Via DHTML

XML is one of the core factors of an Ajax based application. Although there are other data formats that could be considered with JavaScript such as HTML and JSON, none of them provides the universality and lightweight features found in XML.

This form of data could interact with any browser in any version and it will not have any heavy footprint which ensures the accessibility of the application. This is very important especially in building efficient client side application. Through proper use of XML, it can improve the website significantly without requiring too many resources.

There are many retrieval techniques allowed within Ajax. But the most popular and probably the most efficient way of dealing with XML in Ajax is in using DHTML. This form of programming language is not like your average HTML.

The “D” stands for dynamic which means you’ll use Dynamic HTML in retrieving XML. The advantage of using DHTML over other techniques is that it is geared towards interactive features in websites.

However, it still retains its lightweight features just like in HTML. You can practically launch a interactive website with DHTML while enjoying HTML’s lightweight features.

The key to success of DHTML in retrieving XML is that it doesn’t go through additional processes so that it could be launched in the client side. DHTML uses DOM so that it could retrieve the data and provide the necessary functions before it is launched in the client side.

Browser Challenges

There are two challenges that should be dealt with by developers in using DHTML to access and display XML in the client side.

The first challenge is the version incompatibility. DHTML is a relatively new technology which means this technique was created after some of the well known browser versions are created. DHTML cannot be used on IE browsers lower than 5.0 versions. Netscape (Firefox) will not be able to recognize DHTML if it is below version 6.0. Firefox could recognize this from version 2.0 and up.

But with the advancement of technology, browsers even in simple gadgets have already been updated. IE is now on version 8 and Firefox is now on version 3. Most have already updated so using DHTML should be expected.

The second challenge could be a headache for developers. Because DHTML will use DOM, its implementation in IE and Netscape-based browsers are different.

For IE, using DOM with DHTML to retrieve XML is based on ActiveXObject. This function triggers the client side functionality of the browser so DOM could easily access XML. On the other hand, Netscape-based browsers use a very long function called Document.Implementation.createDocument. Although this function is very long, it provides a direct command on how XML should be launched in the client side.

Although DHTML is not compatible in some browser versions, developers are confident that many users are now using the latest version of browsers. With a few tweaks in coding so that it could be used in different browsers, access of XML will be a lot easier using DHTML.