Before you start

This tutorial is recommended for Java and PHP developers who use XML and want to explore the benefits of native XML databases (IBM® DB2® Express-C 9.5 in this tutorial). Although it is helpful to have some knowledge of PHP and Java programming, it isn't necessary to follow along and learn from this tutorial. Knowledge of the XML DOM is also helpful.

About this tutorial

This tutorial shows you how to reduce development time with a native XML database. As an illustration, you will change an existing XML schema, and see these changes in the code also. Developers will learn the common necessities for working with a native XML database in both PHP and Java technologies, including how to:

• Connect to the database (DB2 Express-C 9.5)
• Store and retrieve XML data
  
  • Create a form that writes new data to the database
  • Create a form that reads existing data from the database
• Query the database using SQL/XML
  
  • Enhance the data viewers to support a quick search function
• Modify the database schema
  
  • Make database changes unnecessary!

To learn and implement the above concepts, you'll create several Web applications where users can enter and view patient data in PHP code, and then enter and view doctor data in Java code.

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Prerequisites

Beyond a text editor and a browser, you'll need the tools necessary to support Java and PHP servers:

• Java JDK, the latest JDK from Sun to run and compile Java code. This tutorial uses version Java 6 update 5.
• Apache Tomcat, the Web server that will host your Java applications. This tutorial uses version 6.0.16.
• PHP, the latest version of PHP, 5.2.5 at the time of this writing.
• Apache2, the Apache2 HTTP server that is the recommended HTTP server for PHP.
• Operating System, any will do. This tutorial was written on a machine running Windows Vista® Ultimate.
• DB2 Express-C 9.5, the database used for this tutorial. You can use any native XML database such as Apache Xindice instead.

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Table of contents

• Before you start
• Introduction
• Creating a database connection
• Storing and retrieving XML data
• Executing SQL/XML queries
• Experimenting with schema changes
• Summary
• Download
• Resources
• About the author

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Next steps from IBM

With the no-charge DB2 Express-C, Zend Core PHP, and Java you can develop advanced Web 2.0 applications quickly that matter.

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• Try: Download a free trial version of DB2 Express-C, which includes Zend Core PHP and pureXML technology that is ideally suited for managing both XML and relational data and powering a new breed of SOA and Web 2.0 solutions.
• Article: This IBM Redbook shows how to port PHP apps from MySQL to DB2, and includes code samples for creating Zend Core PHP applications.
• Tutorial: In this Mastering Facebook app development tutorial series, you will use Java and PHP in parallel to build a Facebook interface for an online stock trading J2EE application using the Spring framework.
• Buy: DB2 9 for Linux, UNIX and Windows

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