XML to SQL Database

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A guy I know is getting a website designed for his store which is nearly completed to sell stock. He now is only thinking about how on earth he is going to get the stock items onto the website fast and easy since there are several hundred or should I say more like several thousand items.

The web designers are just thinking he is putting them on by hand which is stupid when you think of the number of items and they don't seem to care about looking into an alternative method. The business gets its stock from just the one main supplier and after I personally phoned the suppliers last week to discuss ways of doing it, the best they can do is provide an xml file taken from their own website database.

I am going to speak to the web design team about using this xml file but would like some opinions on the use of this xml file and importing or whatever way into a database which I take is an sql database likely mysql but I will have to find that out.

Thanks for any help as the guy has spent several thousand on the site and it could have been a waste of time.
 
It would help enormously to know what SQL server they are using. MSSQL? MySQL? Oracle?

I'd bet money on the ability to use MSSQL Integration Services to import XML, and I know from experience that it's pretty easy to write XML parsing SQL in SQL Server too. But I can't vouch for the other servers.
 
If this is SQL Server, it's pretty darn easy. Obviously you've still got to map fields but I have loads of sites utilising a simple 2 step method similar to below on my automated XML imports:

1. XML is retreived from somewhere - e.g. a url, ftp upload to the server and then pulled into a 'holding table' under an XML field type in my database.
2. Stored xml data is put through a scheduled stored procedure which first converts the xml into a table variable/temp table, alters the data where needed and then 'imports' into the 'live' table. The data then appears on the website.

I've done this enough times so although I'm fairly busy, if you need any help - give me a shout (email in trust) and I'll do what I can. :)
 
Cheers for the info guys.

The guy I know hasn't got back to me regarding his conversation with those making the site for him. I am going to get their number and speak to them myself as they might just tell the site owner that it can't be done.

Like I said earlier there is a good chance they are using mysql but when I get on the phone to them, I will be getting them to change to MSSQL.

I haven't touched Microsoft SQL Server in nearly 8 years since my API development days so I might have to recall on some help if I have to take control of the sites development.

Cheers guys.
 
It may be difficult for the developers to change to MSSQL if they are using an Apache server - especially if the type of server wasn't specified in the brief.

I think the problem here is they are saying it's not possible to import XML when it is - regardless of the platform you're using.
 
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