NAME

       XML::Smart::FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions about XML::Smart.

SYNOPSIS

       This is the Frequently Asked Questions list for XML::Smart.

QUESTIONS

       For new questions send an e-mail to the author, but please, read first all the F.A.Q.

   Do I need to install XML::Parser to can use XML::Smart?
       No! XML::Smart already comes with 2 independent parsers, XML::Smart::Parser and
       XML::Smart::HTMLParser.

       If XML::Parser is found XML::Smart will use it by default, and the 2nd options will be
       XML::Smart::Parser.

       Note that for complex parsing XML::Parser is recommended, but XML::Smart::Parser will work
       fine too.

   What is the best version of XML::Smart to install?
       Is always the last! Always take a look for new versions before aks for help on XML::Smart.

       Note that internally XML::Smart is complex, since the main idea of it is to remove the
       complexity from the hand of the programmer.  Actually the idea is to enable the Perl
       programmer to use and create XML data without really know the XML format.

   Where can I learn about XML?
       http://www.xml.com

   How to apply a DTD to a XML::Smart object tree?
       Take a look in the method apply_dtd(). Example of use:

         $xml->apply_dtd(q`
         <!DOCTYPE cds [
         <!ELEMENT cds (album+)>
         <!ATTLIST cds
                   creator  CDATA
                   date     CDATA #REQUIRED
         >
         <!ELEMENT album (artist , tracks+)>
         <!ELEMENT artist (#PCDATA)>
         <!ELEMENT tracks (#PCDATA)>
         ]>
         `);

       This will format automatically elements, attributes, etc...

   How XML::Smart works?
       To create XML::Smart, first I have created the module Object::MultiType.  With it you can
       have an object that works at the same time as a HASH, ARRAY, SCALAR, CODE & GLOB. So you
       can do things like this with the same object:

         $obj = Object::MultiType->new() ;

         $obj->{key} ;
         $obj->[0] ;
         $obj->method ;

         @l = @{$obj} ;
         %h = %{$obj} ;

         &$obj(args) ;

         print $obj "send data\n" ;

       Seems to be crazy, and can be more if you use tie() inside it, and this is what XML::Smart
       does.

       For XML::Smart, the access in the Hash and Array way paste through tie(). In other words,
       you have a tied HASH and tied ARRAY inside it. This tied Hash and Array work together, soo
       you can access a Hash key as the index 0 of an Array, or access an index 0 as the Hash
       key:

         %hash = (
         key => ['a','b','c']
         ) ;

         $hash->{key}    ## return $hash{key}[0]
         $hash->{key}[0] ## return $hash{key}[0]
         $hash->{key}[1] ## return $hash{key}[1]

         ## Inverse:

         %hash = ( key => 'a' ) ;

         $hash->{key}    ## return $hash{key}
         $hash->{key}[0] ## return $hash{key}
         $hash->{key}[1] ## return undef

       The best thing of this new resource is to avoid wrong access to the data and warnings when
       you try to access a Hash having an Array (and the inverse). Thing that generally make the
       script die().

       Once having an easy access to the data, you can use the same resource to create data!  For
       example:

         ## Previous data:
         <hosts>
           <server address="192.168.2.100" os="linux" type="conectiva" version="9.0"/>
         </hosts>

         ## Now you have {address} as a normal key with a string inside:
         $XML->{hosts}{server}{address}

         ## And to add a new address, the key {address} need to be an ARRAY ref!
         ## So, XML::Smart make the convertion: ;-P
         $XML->{hosts}{server}{address}[1] = '192.168.2.101' ;

         ## Adding to a list that you don't know the size:
         push(@{$XML->{hosts}{server}{address}} , '192.168.2.102') ;

         ## The data now:
         <hosts>
           <server os="linux" type="conectiva" version="9.0"/>
             <address>192.168.2.100</address>
             <address>192.168.2.101</address>
             <address>192.168.2.102</address>
           </server>
         </hosts>

       Than after changing your XML tree using the Hash and Array resources you just get the data
       remade (through the Hash tree inside the object):

         my $xmldata = $XML->data ;

       But note that XML::Smart always return an object! Even when you get a final key. So this
       actually returns another object, pointhing (inside it) to the key:

         $addr = $XML->{hosts}{server}{address}[0] ;

         ## Since $addr is an object you can TRY to access more data:
         $addr->{foo}{bar} ; ## This doens't make warnings! just return UNDEF.

         ## But you can use it like a normal SCALAR too:

         print "$addr\n" ;

         $addr .= ':80' ; ## After this $addr isn't an object any more, just a SCALAR!

   When I generate the XML data new lines (\n) are added to the content!
       You should use the options for the method data() and save() to not add identation to the
       generated data:

         $XML->data( noident => 1 ) ;

         ## or better:

         $XML->data( nospace => 1 ) ;

   Your question is not here?
       Just send me an e-mail. ;-P

AUTHOR

       Graciliano M. P. <gm@virtuasites.com.br>

       I will appreciate any type of feedback (include your opinions and/or suggestions). ;-P

       Enjoy and thanks for who are enjoying this tool and have sent e-mails! ;-P

ePod

       This document was written in ePod (easy-POD), than converted to POD, and from here you
       know the way.