XML on IBM i

XML4C and XML4PR
With the latest XML Toolkit for IBM i V1R1 product, C++ (XML4C) and Procedural XML (XML4PR) parsers are provided consistent with the XML 1.0 recommendation and associated standards (DOM Level 1.0, DOM Level 2.0, SAX 1.0, SAX 2.0, namespaces, schema support and some Level 3.0 DOM support). This XML parser offering of version 5.6.2 is consistent with Apache Software Foundation's Xerces-C 2.6 with fixes and XML4C version 5.6.2. In addition, the XML Toolkit will continue to provide support for previously supported XML4C versions. The XSL transformer is offering version 1.10 and is consistent with Apache Software Foundation's Xalan 1.10 version.

XSLT4C
With the latest XML Toolkit for IBM i V1R1 product, the C++ (XSLT4C) transformer is provided. This XSL transformer offering of version 1.10 is consistent with Apache Software Foundation's Xalan-C 1.10.

XML Scripting for IBM i
XML Scripting for IBM System i5 1.0 is available with for the XML Toolkit for IBM System i5 V1R1 product that includes C++ code that used Apache Software Foundation's Ant version 1.5.4 written in Java as a base.

Web Services Client for C++
The Web Services Client for C++ (WSCC) is new for the XML Toolkit for IBM i V1R1 product and is ported from Apache Software Foundation's Axis C++ version 1.5. WSCC consists of a set of libraries and Java tools that allow you to build ANSI C++ web service client applications from existing WSDL files that will communicate over HTTP using TCP/IP with SOAP protocols to other similarly configured applications. The client code that is produced has the following capabilities:

• Support for Web Service Description Language - WSDL (document literal only).
• Support WSI 1.0 basic profile compliance.
• Support for SSL.
• JAX-RPC style implementation.

The XML Toolkit for IBM i (5733XT2) product is designed to facilitate the timely delivery of new XML parsers and XSL transformers as the new version's source code is made available from Apache. These new parsers and transformers frequently include added function, performance improvements and fixes. As each new XML parser and XSL transformer version is made available via the Toolkit product (5733XT2), they will be contained in two new product install options. The parser and transformer binaries, the service programs that your application binds to, are the first install option. The sample source code, development header/include files, and API documentation is the second install option, called the development option. In addition, the XML Toolkit will provide the XML Scripting for IBM System i5 and Web Services Client for C++ functions and will be updated from Apache as needed.

Watch this space for notice of new XML Toolkit install options made available through future refreshes of the licensed product.

XML4J
The XML4J (Java) parsers are not provided as part of the XML Toolkit because the binaries, the actual java jar files, are not distinct to the IBM i platform and because there is no additional development environment (like header file and bind instructions) necessary to create java applications on IBM i that interface with an XML parser. XML for Java parsers are, however, provided as part of the base operating system on IBM i. Each jar file is designated by XML parser version in the jar file name and is located in the following IFS directory: /qibm/proddata/OS400/xml/lib.

This starts with version 5 release 1 of the base OS400. The initial XML4J parser provided was Xerces-J version 3.0.1 (xerces103.jar). A subsequent add function PTF for V5R1, XPF SI01832, includes a newer version of the XML parser, Xerces-J version 3.1.1 (xerces311.jar). In addition to XML parsers, this PTF also includes the java enabling includes the XSLT (eXtensible StyleSheet Language Transformation) processor jar files for version 2.0.0 (xalan200.jar), known in Apache as Xalan. Another subsequent add function PTF for (V5R1 for XPF SI03111 & V5R2 for SI04534) , includes a newer version of the XML parser, Xerces-J version 3.2.1 (xerces321.jar). In addition to XML parsers, this PTF also includes the java enabling includes the XSLT (eXtensible StyleSheet Language Transformation) processor jar files for version 2.2.0 (xalan220.jar), known in Apache as Xalan. For V5R3, a newer version of the XML parser Xerces-J version 4.1.1 (xerces411.jar) and XSLT processor jar files for version 2.3.6 (xalan236.jar) and 2.4.1 (xalan241.jar).