[R] R and XML -- a near perfect combination?

[A.J. Rossini]

>>>>> "c" == cys  <cys at www.approximity.com> writes:

    c> Did anybody alreay write a XML parser for R?  XML, as we will
    c> have tons of data-interchange with all sorts of other programs
    c> and XML is good for giving meaning to raw data.

    c> Any pointers/comments would be highly appreciated.

It's a nice format, if you know what you are doing.  The main thought
that I've been having for what you are proposing (data exchange of
datasets) would be to write an converter from your XML format to a
text representation of the corresponding data.frame.  

Reasonably simple, plus you are free to use whatever your choice of
parser language is (C++, Java, Python, whatever).  Plus, you can grow
it (a simple list is easy, adding row/col names isn't too hard,
etc...  Do it using pipes, and you will be fine for Unix and NT.

The only problem with a generic parser is the necessity of doing XML
to XML conversion, since you can't be sure that everyone wants to use
the DTD (or style) that you particularly like.

best,
-tony

-- 
A.J. Rossini			Research Assistant Professor of Biostatistics 
Center for AIDS Research/HMC	Biostatistics/Univ. of Washington
Box 359931			Box 357232
206-731-3647 (3693=fax)		206-543-1044 (3286=fax)
rossini at u.washington.edu	rossini at biostat.washington.edu
http://www.biostat.washington.edu/~rossini/

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