Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Designer 2007 Bible

15.3. Working with Non-SharePoint Data Sources

When working with data sources in non-SharePoint Web sites, the following options are available in the Data Source Library task pane:

• Local XML files

• ASP.NET connections

The treeview appearance of the Data Source Library task pane allows for collapsing data sources in case the list of available data sources becomes long (which might become the case during extensive Web site development).

15.3.1. Local XML files

The Data Source Library is intelligent enough to list the existing XML files inside your Web site for you to use. As its name suggests, these XML files need to reside inside the Web site content location. If you want to use an XML file as the source of data for your Web site, you can do so by following these steps:

1. Click the Add an XML file link in the Data Source Library task pane. The Data Source Properties dialog box, as shown in Figure 15.4, opens, allowing you to choose the location of the XML you want to use.

   NOTE

   The Data Source Properties dialog box changes its user interface depending on the type of data source you're working with.

   Figure 15.4. The Data Source Properties dialog box for XML files

   

2. Click Browse to open the Open dialog box and then navigate to the location where your XML file exists.

3. Select the XML file and then click Open. Every time you select an XML file by using this process, SharePoint Designer asks ...