Connect and Upload Data
There are many different ways to programmatically generate these XML messages.
Two examples are:
Text
A somewhat low-tech and platform-independent method entails concatenating the data and tags to a text string in the appropriate order. This means adding each item, or "word," of information to the previous bit in one long "sentence."
Document Object Model (DOM)
Various Document Object Model (DOM) objects is another example. DOM objects provide the ability to build and manipulate XML objects in a "tree" fashion. DOM objects are more useful than string concatenation because entire nodes, or "limbs," can be added to-and removed-from the tree with very little effort.
The following Web Services are available:
UploadXMLDocument
Accepts XML Document returns XML Document. Return Results are not HTML Encoded. Requires SOAP client to call.
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SOAP
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Requires .NET Web Reference which will create a client side proxy .dll
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Developer passes an XML Document which is a DOM Object
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Developer receives receipt XML in an XML Document
UploadXMLString
Accepts string Input returns string. Return Results are HTML Encoded. Does not require SOAP client to call. Can use HTTP Form Post.
SOAP Option
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Requires .NET Web Reference which will create a client side proxy .dll
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Developer passes a string containing the XML message into the function
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Developer receives receipt XML in a string from the function call
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The main disadvantage of using the Get method is that there is a 2K limit on the length of the string. Providers who wish to transmit large amounts of data in a single submission should avoid the Get method.
Form Post Option
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Requires a form post to the Web Service
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Form contains a text object named InXML into which the XML is loaded
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The response object will return the receipt XML
UploadXMLFileAccepts
File returns XML Document. Results are not HTML Encoded. Requires user to post a file. Does not require SOAP client to call.
UploadXMLStringXML Type
Accepts string Input returns XML Document. Return Results are not HTML Encoded. Does not require SOAP client to call.
Educational Providers also have the option to load XML by accessing the XML upload page where they can browse to their XML file and click Submit. This option was intended to be used for testing purposes but live data can be loaded this way. Problems may be experienced using the XML Upload page for large datasets because of session timeouts and automatic refresh features of various internet browsers. The XML file should not exceed 16 MB.