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

[Victor Kane]

Well, there you have it: we need PHP5 as a standard to do this.
Perhaps this module could be one of the first to require PHP5.
I have too much on my plate at the moment, but would certainly be willing to
help anyone who wants to have a go. I have good XML / XPATH experience and
have used simplexml quite a bit.

Victor Kane
http://awebfactory.com.ar

On 8/15/07, David Metzler <metzlerd at metzlerd.com> wrote:
>
> 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
>
>
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