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What is XML and how is it used in LAS?


XML (the Extensible Markup Language) is a language that allows a user to store structured data in a text file. It is similar to HTML, but has the advantage of being extensible (through user defined tags) and easier for computer programs to use. LAS uses XML to store information about datasets (including variable names, units, and sizes), and configuration information (such as which palette to use when visualizing a variable). See Understanding the XML for more information. Since one XML configuration file is used by both the user interface and the visualization server, it is easy to add new datasets and variables to LAS. This also allows the configuration information associated with one server to be known by another server. The first server can then provide an interface to data served by the second server. This is described in the FAQ on sister servers.

More information about XML is available at the W3C.

Jonathan Callahan:
Last modified: August 23, 2000