Visual Basic XML Transform - TechEd demo prep

Hello from Orlando! I’ve been at TechEd 2007 this week in very sunny Orlando. As part of my demo prep, I had to create a little xml transform to convert the TechEd schedule that I got off the www.msteched.com website in an Excel XML format into a more readable xml file format. I could have done this all with one transform, but the newer XML file format made for good demo fodder to show off the XML Intellisense features coming in Orcas Beta2.

I thought the code was interesting and fun – a great blend of XML properties, XML Literals, and query – so I’ve posted it below:

Imports System.IO

Imports <xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet">

Module Module1

 'Metadata info

 Enum Column

  Code

  Title

  Description

  Track

  Session

  Level

  Speaker

  Room

  Timeslot

 End Enum

 Sub Main()

  Dim fromFile = "C:\TechEdScheduleExcelFormat.xml"

  Dim toFile = "C:\MyXMLFormat.xml"

  Dim excelXML = XElement.Load(fromFile)

  ' Remove first row - metadata info

  excelXML...<ss:Row>.First.Remove()

  Dim xml = _

   <?xml version="1.0"?>

   <EventSchedule Event="TechEd2007">

    <%= _

     From session In excelXML...<ss:Row> _

     Let info = session...<ss:Data> _

     Select _

      <Event ID=<%= info(Column.Code).Value %>>

       <Title><%= info(Column.Title).Value %></Title>

       <Description><%= info(Column.Description).Value %></Description>

       <Track><%= info(Column.Track).Value %></Track>

       <Session><%= info(Column.Session).Value %></Session>

       <Level><%= info(Column.Level).Value %></Level>

       <Speaker><%= info(Column.Speaker).Value %></Speaker>

       <Room><%= info(Column.Room).Value %></Room>

       <TimeSlot><%= info(Column.Timeslot).Value %></TimeSlot>

      </Event> _

    %>

   </EventSchedule>

   xml.Save(toFile)

   Shell("C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe " & toFile, AppWinStyle.MaximizedFocus)

 End Sub

End Module

All this, so that in the demo, I could:

1)      Open the resulting file, “MyXMLFormat.xml”, in Visual Studio

2)      Right click on the XML menu item

3)      Select create schema to infer an XSD from that file:

4)      Save the schema as an XSD and add it as an existing item in my project:

5)      And get an awesome Intellisense experience over the XML:

Pretty cool, no?