Bringing XML Data into FMP

[Matt Revenaugh]

I am in the midst of figuring out how to integrate RF-ID into FileMaker.

For those who are not familiar with RD-ID, it is the technology that will
soon replace barcodes. There is a tag that is placed on an object, that can
be scanned and processed using radio waves from several meters away.

I have found a vendor that makes a device that handles the scanning, etc.
They say that the device will send XML to a server...

Now I know that our favorite database system has the capacity to export and
import XML data. But will it process XML like an HTTP command? In other
words, will it take an XML command in, create a record, and possibly trigger
a script?

I am trying to avoid using a COM port situation to get the data. I don't
want FileMaker to continually check for new scans. I want the scans to
trigger FileMaker. Plus, the idea of the device being connected to FileMaker
over the network is very appealing.

Any advice is much appreciated.

Matt Revenaugh

[Mariano Peterson]

You'd have to use FMP's CGI to trigger it to add records and run scripts.
You'd have to find a way to have the RD-ID application send HTTP requests to
FileMaker Web Companion. If the RD-ID app is already sending HTTP requests,
but you can't customize them to fit FMP's CGI, you could instead direct
those requests to a middleware app like PHP, ASP, or Lasso that could
receive, translate, and forward the request to FileMaker. Using a middle
tier like that would also allow you more programmatic control of the data
before inserting it into FMP.

How does the RD-ID app send the XML data? If it's just sending an XML
stream to a certain port, you could write a program that would listen for
incoming streams, which it could then buffer and relay to FileMaker via HTTP
requests.

Hope this helps,
Mariano