About XML lists

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About XML lists

When a user or the designer of a Spreadsheet component queries and imports data from a data source using a data retrieval service or a Data Retrieval Service Connections file (.uxdc), the data is displayed in a table structure that is called an XML list. An XML list behaves much like a datasheet in a database program: each row in the list is treated as a single record when adding, deleting, filtering, and sorting items in the list. An XML list is associated with a query that can be refreshed to display current information from the data source. You can also edit this query to provide different query parameter values, select different fields, filter data, and sort data so you can efficiently retrieve just the subset of data you want.

An XML List

An XML list has the following visual features that distinguish it from other ranges in a spreadsheet.

  • A frame clearly outlines the data in the XML list. Data inside the frame is returned from the data source; data outside the frame is not part of the data returned from the data source.
  • The XML list can display column headings that are not part of the data retrieved from the data source, so your headings never get sorted with the data or excluded when the data is filtered.
  • The XML list displays a new row at the bottom of the list called the insert row to make adding a new record simple: just click in the insert row and type.

If the designer has not locked the entire XML list or disabled other features of the XML list, working with data in an XML list behaves as described in the following sections.

ShowAdding records

ShowPasting records

ShowDeleting records

ShowSorting records

ShowFiltering records

ShowInserting and deleting columns

ShowCalculated columns

ShowWorking with the associated query