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DataDirect XQuery

DataDirect XQuery is a high-performance Java component that implements both XQuery and the XQuery for Java API, used to query XML and relational data together. It supports most relational databases, runs on any Java platform, and is easily embeddable into almost any Java program. DataDirect XQuery works with any J2EE Application Server, although no application server is required. Stylus Studio further simplifies relational and XML data integration by providing advanced XQuery tools support for building XQuery applications with DataDirect XQuery.

Edit and Design DataDirect XQuery Applications

The Stylus Studio XQuery editor and XQuery mapper provide integrated support for developing XQuery applications which are powered by DataDirect XQuery. The integration is seamless — simply write your code using Stylus Studio's productive XQuery tools as you would normally do. Click on the scenario properties button and select DataDirect XQuery as your default processor, as illustrated below:

Scenario properties are various settings which you specify to describe the configuration of your XQuery. For example, you can specify which processor you'd like to use, as well as other parameters such as validation and profiling options.

Accessing Relational and XML Data

A primary benefit of using the DataDirect XQuery processor over other conventional in-memory processors, and other proprietary XQuery processors is that you can extend your XQuery applications to access any relational database. Accessing relational and XML data using XQuery and Stylus Studio is easy, using the collection function, an important part of the XQuery standard for accessing tables and other data sources. To configure you XQuery collections, go to the XQuery scenario properties window and switch to the "General" tab as illustrated in the following screenshot. In the "Defined Collections" area, create a new collection and a database connection wizard will guide you through the process of creating connection string to your data source. Once you're done, you can access the relational data from within your XQuery as if it were an XML file on the local file system!

Currently, DataDirect XQuery provides seamless access to the following databases:

• Oracle 9i R1-R2 1.0
• Oracle 10g R1-R2 (10.1, 10.2) 1.0
• MS SQL Server 2000 (including service packs 1, 2, 3a, and 4) 1.0
• MS SQL Server 2005 1.0
• MS SQL Server 2000 Enterprise Edition (64-bit) 1.0
• DB2 UDB v8.1, v8.2 for Linux, UNIX, and Windows 1.0
• DB2 UDB v8.1 for z/OS 1.0
• DB2 UDB V5R2, V5R3 for iSeries 1.0
• Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise 12.5.x 1.0

Visually Map Relational and XML Data

Once you've defined your relational database sources as XQuery collections, you can use them in Stylus Studio's XQuery mapper as though it were just another XML file on the local file System. Data integration is so easy — just load your data sources, your target output format, and draw lines from input to output. The XQuery code needed to implement the various mapping operations is automatically generated for you. Using both DataDirect XQuery and Stylus Studio's XQuery tools together is the easiest way to build applications that need to access both relational and XML data.

Integrated Code Generation

Once you've built and tested your data integration application using Stylus Studio, it's easy to then take the XQuery code and deploy it to your production environment using the integrated Java Code Generator (a runtime DataDirect XQuery license is required for this). To invoke the Java code generator, select "XQuery" -> "Generate Java Code", as illustrated below. Stylus Studio automatically creates all of the files that are needed to invoke your XQuery from within any Java application. Using the integrated Java IDE, you can compile and run the generated Java application with just one mouse click.

Extending DataDirect XQuery to Access Non-Relational Data

Need to integrate relational, XML, and legacy data? No problem. DataDirect XML Converters provide a powerful and standards-based way to further extend DataDirect XQuery, enabling access to any legacy data format including EDI, X12, EDIFACT, binary data, TSV, CSV, DBASE and more! Stylus Studio provides thousands of built-in converters for the most common legacy file formats, and using Convert to XML, it's easy to visually define custom XML converter definitions for any proprietary data format. All of the tools discussed previously in this article (XQuery editing, mapping, code generation, etc.) work with your legacy data sources as though they were just another file on the local file system. In a nutshell, Stylus Studio, DataDirect XML Converters, and DataDirect XQuery provides the tools & components needed to develop and deploy any data integration application.

Why DataDirect XQuery?

DataDirect XQuery is ideal for applications that do XML publishing, XML Report Writing, Data Integration, XML processing for SOAP and Web Services, or Dynamic Web sites. Using DataDirect XQuery significantly simplifies application development by reducing the amount of code developers write and maintain to use XML and relational data together. For more information about Stylus Studio and DataDirect XQuery, watch this informative video demonstration.

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