How do I use XML to perform DML Operations against 8i DBs?

Question

Please point me in the direction to get started. I am not sure if I need XML DB (9i R2 only ?), XSQL, XDK or what.
I would like to be able to deconstruct existing applications (mostly PL/SQL) into a series of XML docs that when 'pieced' together could behave as a set of transactions. Where I am heading is toward making existing apps Web Services enabled. I would like to be able to use existing tables in my schemas.
What advice can you give me in terms of getting started and selecting the 'right' approach? I assume there are trade offs between 8i and 9i DBs.
Jesse Johnson

Answer 1

You may pass an XML Document as a parameter to a Java file that makes use of XSU classes like OracleXMLSave and there are methods available in OracleXMLSave like insertXML() method that takes care of the dml part.
Go through the examples listed below.
Program Listing 1 : This program will insert a record into the emp table. This program takes an xml file as an input , translates the content into an insert statement and inserts and commits the data into the database. An example of the xml file is also enclosed.
import java.sql.*;
import java.net.*;
import oracle.xml.sql.dml.OracleXMLSave;
public class Insertfromfile {
     public static void main(String argv[])
          throws SQLException {
          Connection cn = ConnectionHelper.getConnection();
          OracleXMLSave sav = new OracleXMLSave(cn, "scott.emp");
          URL url = sav.createURL(argv[0]);
          sav.insertXML(url );
          cn.close();
          System.out.println("Done ....!");
XML File shown below.
<?xml version = '1.0'?>
<ROWSET>
<ROW num="1">
<EMPNO>1238</EMPNO>
<SAL>100</SAL>
<DEPTNO>20</DEPTNO>
</ROW>
</ROWSET>
Program Listing 2 : Update operations
import java.sql.*;
import oracle.xml.sql.dml.OracleXMLSave;
public class TestUpdate {
     public static void main(String argv[])
          throws SQLException {
          String rowToUpdate = "<?xml version = '1.0'?> " +
               " <ROWSET> " +
               " <ROW num=\"1\"> " +
               " <EMPNO>1238</EMPNO> " +
               " <SAL>999</SAL> " +
" <DEPTNO>20</DEPTNO> " +
               " </ROW> " +
               " </ROWSET> ";
          Connection cn = ConnectionHelper.getConnection();
          OracleXMLSave sav = new OracleXMLSave(cn, "scott.emp");
          String [] keyColNames = new String[2];
          keyColNames[0] = "EMPNO";
keyColNames[1] = "DEPTNO";
          sav.setKeyColumnList(keyColNames);
          sav.updateXML(rowToUpdate );
          sav.close();
          System.out.println("Done ....!");
Program Listing 3 : Delete OPeration
import java.sql.*;
import oracle.xml.sql.dml.OracleXMLSave;
public class TestDelete {
     public static void main(String argv[])
          throws SQLException {
          Connection cn = ConnectionHelper.getConnection();
          OracleXMLSave sav = new OracleXMLSave(cn, "scott.emp");
          String [] keyColNames = new String[1];
          keyColNames[0] = "EMPNO";
          sav.setKeyColumnList(keyColNames);
          for (int i=1234; i <1240; i++) {
          String rowPatternToDelete= "<?xml version = '1.0'?> " +
                    " <ROWSET> " +
                    " <ROW num=\"1\"> " +
                    " <EMPNO>" + i + "</EMPNO> " +
                    " </ROW> " +
                    " </ROWSET> ";
               sav.deleteXML(rowPatternToDelete );
          sav.close();
          System.out.println("Done ....!");
Program Listing 4 : ConnectionHelper.java
import java.sql.*;
import java.util.*;
import oracle.jdbc.driver.*;
public class ConnectionHelper {
public static Connection getConnection() throws SQLException {
String username = "scott";
String password = "tiger";
String thinConn = "jdbc:oracle:thin:@localhost:1521:orcl";
String default8iConn = "jdbc:oracle:kprb:";
String driverClass = "oracle.jdbc.driver.OracleDriver";
Connection cn = null;
try {
Driver d = (Driver)Class.forName(driverClass).newInstance();
return DriverManager.getConnection(thinConn,username,password);
catch (Exception e) {
throw new SQLException("Error Loading JDBC Driver");