MSXML or Microsoft XML is basically a large collection of software programs and software support for XML-based applications on the Internet and generally in computers. This collection of Microsoft XML Core Services basically makes XML more user-friendly. XML is a programming language that is used in the storage, structuring and transportation of data. XML is very similar in its look and feel to Hypertext Markup Language or HTML. However, there is a difference between the two in that while HTML is based on the look of a document (color, size, and other parameters), XML is based on the structure of a document so that the computer can determine what it wants. XML is an easy programming language to learn because it employs tags that are not predefined. In HTML, you only get to use tags invented by W3C standard whereas in XML, you get to create tags.
Microsoft XML also goes by the name Microsoft XML Core Services. Although it is easy to use XML, using Microsoft XML is even easier. Microsoft XML works by combining XML with other programming languages such as JavaScript and C++. The fact that tags used with Microsoft XML are predefined means that the chances of making errors are reduced. With Microsoft XML, loading documents without typing in complex codes is possible. Microsoft XML makes it possible for you to drag and drop any XML document into its open browser. Since XML is basically a text document, it is then easy to read it using any of the many programs that handle text.
Over the years, there have been several versions of Microsoft XML. However, some of these versions are no longer supported or are obsolete. These include versions 2.6, 2.5, 2.0a and 1. The most widely version of Microsoft XML is version 3.0. Although version 4.0 was made to upgrade it, it never really caught on. Microsoft XML version 5.0 was released specifically for Microsoft Office applications and it works alongside version 4.0 and 3.0 for optimal performance. Version 6.0 was released to offer support for NET Framework 3.0, Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Windows Vista, Visual Studio 2005, and Windows XP SP3.
Although Microsoft XML is designed to simplify XML, it can be tricky for beginners. However, Microsoft XML has an in-built 'help' function and you can get further tutorials from Microsoft's website and in other websites. Microsoft XML is tricky for beginners because such tutorials include languages that go together with Microsoft XML such as C++ and JavaScript.
With Microsoft XML, viewing document involves simply dragging and dropping them in text programs such as Notepad and WordPad. However, for such texts to be active for you to see the code as it was written, you could open the document inside any web browser or inside MSXML. To validate XML documents using Microsoft XML, simply load the XML file, associate it with a schema or generate the schema and then associate it using the XML menu, select the "Associate XML with Schema" option, click on "validate XML" and then select the relevant Microsoft XML Parser which could be version 3.0, version 4.0 or version 6.0.
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This article touched the basics of the topic. I have 2 more resources related to the above. They are msxml and msxml . Do consider reading them.
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