1.4 XML Review
CHPS configuration utilizes XML (eXtensible Markup Language) as a framework for data.
Recall, XML does not perform an action; it simply provides structure and transportation for the information.
eXtensible
XML is not constrained to a set of predefined tags. You can define your own tags for CHPS XML.
Hints
Make sure the code within CHPS must conform to the XML Schema Definition (XSD), or the system cannot ingest the information.
Do not create tags unless they are relevant and needed.
Editing Software
A benefit to using XML is you can edit it using a simple text editor; however, the NWSTC recommends using XML editing software.
Using editing software automatically adds closing tags, validates the code against the schema, and color-codes the syntax for easier editing.
Optimizing Code
Improving system performance may involve optimizing your configuration code. Optimization tends to reduce the number of lines of code, but it might contain more nested code. The nested code can be more difficult to read. Having editing software to check your work is very helpful!
Look at the list of XML editors on the next page to explore some of the editor options.