[development] XML Data to Custom Node Import - where to start? Offer to develop?

[David Metzler]

Add php5, simplexml to drupal_execute and a little glue function to  
iterate through the xml and build form_value arrays and you have a  
powerful combination.

Good luck,

Dave
On Aug 15, 2007, at 12:23 PM, Steven Jones wrote:

> Hey,
>
> Just yesterday, I wrote a importer for some data that came out of
> filemaker pro, in xml format.
>
> Actually it was very easy, but I knew the fields that were in the
> data. What I did was to build up a form_values array for a node
> submission form, and then pass it in to drupal_execute.
>
> The only tricky bit was making sure the taxonomy terms existed, and
> creating them if they didn't. I guess you could read the xml file, and
> build a CCK node type to hold the inserted data, and then import the
> data.
>
> The import/export api's seemed far too confusing, but maybe they're
> good and worth a closer look.
>
>
> On 15/08/07, Chris <drupal_support.lists at toastfirst.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> Requirements:
>>
>>  Assumption:  Input file  = standard XML file {e.g
>> http://www.w3schools.com/xml/note.xml}
>>
>> i) Enable user input of custom XML page by provision of web  
>> address url to
>> an XML page (in similar fashion to feed; but it is not a feed)
>>    Possible enable user input via browser paste (thoughts for/against
>> welcome)
>> ii) Primary parse to display and allow 'deselection' of fields  
>> from XML
>> import that are not required (by default, or set default to 'select'
>> required)
>> iii) Import XML (with additional parameters set in ii) to [custom]  
>> node type
>> iii) Enable edit of imported node list (such as deletion of non- 
>> required
>> records from list - can/may arguably be done with content listing  
>> by type)
>> iv) Enable linking of key# data field in XML import to key# data  
>> field in
>> existing nodes (of type) for duplicate identification and/or  
>> replacement [or
>> default global replace - achieved by relevant call to drupal].
>>
>> My findings suggest that:
>> - there is nothing currently available to import XML pages with  
>> custom data
>> sets
>> - there are some that require same
>> - CCK and Views may be suitable to help make this a generic  
>> contribution by
>> way of creating destination node type? Also 'know of node import'  
>> but not
>> yet investigated relevancy
>>   (question to note - if use CCK do we have access to data [ie is  
>> it stored
>> seperately?] in DB for later export or additional requirments?)
>> - there are some existing API's for RSS/XML but I'm not sure if  
>> anything of
>> use for this application
>> - there is some 'Google SUmmer of Code' work to look at feeds; but  
>> I do not
>> think this is relevant.
>>
>> I have not developed anything custom for Drupal for a couple of  
>> years and
>> find the mix of contribs in this area 'confusing' so please lend  
>> me your
>> wisdom:
>>
>> - any suggested approaches to re-use existing API's and contributions
>> - any existing projects underway that this might impact or work with
>> - any willing developers / helpers /shadowers to help ramp up and/ 
>> or to
>> build a module for this
>>
>> Additional Comments:
>> This capability would be great for commercial applications.
>> If I do this it is likely to be in the near future and to customer  
>> time
>> constraints I would be happy to contribute back to drupal.
>> As you can see this i not specd yet but these are my ideas so far  
>> based on
>> my client requirement and 'quick' initial look at available options
>> Any head start with better approach, where to look, who to talk to  
>> and what
>> to research to measure viability/effort required would be very  
>> welcome
>> indeed.
>>
>> regards
>>
>> Chris.
>
>
> -- 
> Regards
> Steven Jones