Hi,  I have a Form based module storing data in DNN ( its XMod , so it actually stores it's data as XML! ).  Basically, I want to use that data to create input for the XML module, thereby allowing subsets of that data to be viewed across instances & portals.  I'm not a module developer, altyhough I usually can struggle through anything.  I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction.  Is there a 'cookbook' or an example of a DNN module which creates a  data source suitable for consumption by the XML module?

Thanks

Michael G

Stefan,

I got sucked away on another project and am only now returning to this.  XMOD stores its data in SQLServer.  It stores a row for each 'form' record filled in, and the data is in XML format.   I want to show various subsets of that data on different pages of another portal.  So, basically I need to figure out how to format that data  within a URL which will return  XML that I can feed into various XML module instances, each one configured to select and style different subsets of the data.  I have two possible approaches, Option 2 being preferable since I'm not an experienced developer :

1. I can probably write a custom module which reads the database using parameters on the URL : in this case I have to understand how DNN permits me to return an XML document to the requestor from a custom module
2. I can use an existing 'view' module provided by XMOD called a 'details view' , which allows me present all the data from a single row on a page.  In this case , using 'details view'  I'm again trying to figure out how a DNN page is turned into a document which can be processed by the XML module.  In effect what I would be doing is creating one 'details view' and using the XML module to style and select the data it wanted from the full set of data available.

So, common to either approach try to imaging a situation where one module is installed on a DNN page : I can determine the information contents of that module based on criteria supplied in the URL by the page requestor.  The page requestor is an instance of the XML Module in a different portal -  I'm trying to understand how I can construct the DNN page to make it compatible with  the XML module requesting it. 

Thanks for giving it some thought,

Mike

Stefan,

I've come to the conclusion that I should get a custom version of the XML/XSL module which adds 'SQL' as a data source to the two existing ( File/Url ).  Loking at what I have to do overall that seems to be the best way of allowing me to concentrate on one technology (XSLT) to present data from a database.  I have a spec of the customisation ready.  Can you give me any pointers to a possible developer?  - essentially he/she needs to know the existing standard module source code. 

Michael