Content transfer

A method for use in extracting content from a database, the database including content instances associated with database fields having a respective database field type, the method being performed using a processing system having a processor coupled to a memory and the method including:

• a) Examining the database;
• b) Determining where content instances should be stored in a mark-up language file, the file including file fields having a respective file field type, each content instance being stored in the memory of the processing system as a respective node in a corresponding file field and the file field type of each file field being defined by a document type definition;
• and,
• c) Generating data relating database fields to corresponding file fields, wherein the data includes a node map including a node rule for each node in the mark-up language file, the node rule specifying how the content of each node should be stored in the file so that the node map indicates for a respective mark-up language file type the fields within the database to which each node should be mapped;
• d) Storing the node map in a store, the store storing a number of different node maps, with each node map corresponding to node rules for a different mark-up language file type;
• and,
• e) extracting the content from the database from the mark-up language file by:
• selecting, based on the document type definition, the node map from the different node maps stored in the store, so that the node map corresponds to node rules for the mark-up language file;
• creating a data store including store fields corresponding to respective database fields;
• transferring content instances from each database field to a respective store field;
• and
• after storing the content instances in the store fields, transferring content instances from the store fields based on the node rules to respective nodes of the file to thereby extract the content into the database.

A method for use in importing content into a database, the database including database fields having a respective database field type, the method being performed using a processing system having a processor coupled to a memory and the method including:

• receiving an XML file from an external source;
• determining the document type definition associated with the XML file by examining the elements and attributes contained in the XML file and comparing the elements and attributes to a list of elements and attributes contained within each different document definition;
• transferring an indication of the document type definition to a NodeMapFactory module;
• defining a plurality of node rules specifying how the content of each node should be stored in the database and the node rules are stored in the form of a list of node maps within the Adapter Configuration module, wherein each node map corresponding to node rules for a respective XML file type;
• determining by the NodeMapFactory module a mapping in the form of a node map, wherein each node map indicates for the respective XML file, the fields within the database to which each node type in the file should be mapped and specifies the database fields where content of each type of element and attribute within the XML file should be stored within the database;
• selecting, based on the document type definition, the node map from the list of node maps stored in the Adapter Configuration module;
• determining by a NodeRules module the node rules for the select node map, wherein the node rules specify for each type of node contained within the XML file, the destination to which the node should be stored within the database;
• transferring the node rules for the select node map to the XMLInserter module;
• creating data store by the XMLInserter module by using the node rules to map the content of each node, wherein the data store including a respective field corresponding to each type of node within the XML file;
• transferring by the XMLInserter module at least a content instance of a plurality of multiple content instances of each node to a respective field within the data store, wherein the database comprises a single field and the multiple content instances are combined within the single field;
• generating by the XMLInserter SQL commands that cause each content instance of the plurality to be transferred from the respective field in the data store into the database.