The Benefits of XML for Thematic Data

CartoVista uses an XML format for the thematic data, making it simple to store, create or update the indicator data. The thematic data is simply stored in an XML file and read by the flash application.

The XML structure of CartoVista also offers the capabilities of running it as a standalone application, for an Internet or intranet application or for a CD-ROM project for example.

The following section summarizes the advantages of using XML for the indicator data in CartoVista.

Simplicity

Thematic information coded in XML is easy to read and understand and can be processed easily by any application.

Openness

XML is a W3C standard, endorsed by software industry market leaders.

Platform-independence

XML manifests as plain text files, which are less restrictive than other proprietary document formats.

Non-Proprietary Text Files

XML manifests as plain text files, which are less restrictive than other proprietary document formats.

Multilingual and Unicode Support

XML fully supports multiple languages through the Unicode standards for the internationalization of applications.

Extensibility

There is no fixed set of tags. New tags can be created as they are needed.

Integrating with Existing Data Types

Mapping existing relational databases to XML is simple. XML supports multiple data formats and can cover all existing data structures.

Rapid adoption by the industry

Since its adoption in the late 1990's, XML is heavily used as a format for document storage and processing, both online and offline. All major software leaders (Microsoft, Adobe, Sun, etc.) have integrated full support for XML in their operating systems and products.