Here's a question for you super-geeks out there. Why would Microsoft create its own object designed to traverse XML documents?
I don't normally get into the high-minded technical side of Excel and Access. But I do use XML quite a bit in my work with Xcelsius. Last year, I noticed that Microsoft introduced new objects with Office 2007: The CustomXMLPart object, and the CustomXMLNode object.
The CustomXMLPart object allows you to programmatically add and work with custom XML parts. The CustomXMLNode object is designed to provide functionality similar to that found in the IXMLDOMNode interface when working with custom XML parts. Together, the CustomXMLPart and CustomXMLNode objects enable you to traverse an XML document without relying on the DOM interface found in MSXML.
As far as I can tell, these objects are actually designed to work with the custom XML parts in an office document. But you can use these new objects as a way to read any XML document without the DOM interface. All you have to do is add the XML file as a custom XML part to the active document.
In this example, I first add a standard XML file to the XML parts collection of the active workbook. Then I traverse the XML document using the new CustomXMLNodes collection.
Dim oCustomPart As CustomXMLPart
Dim oCustomNode As CustomXMLNode
Dim oCustomNodes As CustomXMLNodes
'Add a Custom XML Part from a file and then load
Set oCustomPart = ActiveWorkbook.CustomXMLParts.Add
oCustomPart.Load "C:\EmployeeSales.xml"
'Return all nodes for the employee who has invoice amount over 3000
Set oCustomNodes= oCustomPart.SelectNodes("//Employee[InvoiceAmount>3000]")
For Each oCustomNode In oCustomNodes
Debug.Print oCustomNode.Text
Next
'Delete the Custom XML Part
oCustomPart.Delete
End Sub
To test out this code, enter this XML into notepad and save as C:\ EmployeeSales.xml .
2312
Mike
Alexander
100
2300
24601
Ethan
Alexander
200
3211
So if you're automating XML documents (whether they are custom XML parts or not), it looks as though you can skip the DOM interface. The obvious benefit is that you don't have to point to an external reference library when coding XML processes using these new objects. The obvious drawback is that your code won't work with versions before Office 2007.
Any guesses as to why Microsoft would choose to create new objects specifically designed to work with XML?
I think it's part of their patent infringement strategy:
Microsoft Penalized $200M for Word XML Patent
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/microsoft-word-xml-patent-infringement,7861.html
Crikey Mike...with in-depth posts like these, you're constantly reminding me that you're smarter than I think you are!
(...which was plenty smart to start with)
I think that having nore than one choice is always a plus.
I target only 2007+ versions and not having to rely on an external library may be worthwile.
If we go deeper, though, I'm pretty sure we'll find a few subtle differences between the two.
No joke you know what you are talking about , thank you