Message Sets: XML rendering options

You can use four properties on the XML layer that to affect how the XML messages are rendered.

The following table shows examples of the values that you can set for the Member Render property. In this table, the member element is referred to as A, and has the value value of element. The parent is referred to as X.

The effect of rendering options on XML output

To get XML rendered like this: Set this Member Render property value: Set these other property values: 
<X>
<A>value of element</A>
</X>
XMLElement (the default)
Member XML Name = A
 
<X A='value of element'/>
XMLAttribute
Member XML Name = A
 
<X>
<Field id='A'>value of element</Field>
</X>
XMLElementAttrID
Member XML Name = Field
Member ID Attribute Name = id
Member ID Attribute Value = A
 
<X>
<A val=value of element/>
</X>
XMLElementAttrVal
Member XML Name = A
Member Value Attribute Name = val
 
<X>
<Field id='A' val='value of element'/>
</X>
XMLElementAttrIDVal
Member XML Name = Field
Member ID Attribute Name = id
Member ID Attribute Value = A
Member Value Attribute Name = val

You should not have an element in the model that is rendered as an XML attribute. This can result in incorrect validation of XML documents. Instead the element should be redefined as an attribute in the model.

You should not have an attribute in the model that is rendered as an XML element. This can result in incorrect validation of XML documents. Instead the attribute should be defined as an element in the model.

There is one scenario where this technique is appropriate. When you have created a message model by importing a C header file or a COBOL copybook, it will consist entirely of elements. An XML form of this model can be created by simply adding an XML physical format to the message set. If you are looking for certain elements to appear as XML attributes in the XML form, you can use the Render property to achieve this.