XML Parser (written entirely on VB6)

[Dragokas]

Author: Jason Thorn (Fork by Alex Dragokas)

There are 2 projects:

1) GUI
(activeX dll based)
compile vbXml-browser\Browser\Browser.vbg
Required: MSCOMCTL.OCX

2) Simple app (debug. window sample)
vbXml-simple\Project1.vbp

Some xml files samples are in 'xml-files' dir.

Classes allows to:
- read .XML files
- append nodes / attributes
- serialize back to .xml

Supported:
- all required special characters
- CDATA markup
- UTF-16 LE XML files format (however, it will be converted to ANSI)
- XML header
- reading tags' attributes

Currently not supported:
- Entities

P.S. There maybe some trouble with compilation GUI (vbg) caused by binary incompatibility. Maybe, someone help me to set project correctly.

PPS. Classes are not well tested. I'll be glag to get feedback.



Feel free to use,
Good luck

[Elroy]

Hi Dragokas,

This looks like a very interesting project.

Just one caveat. If it were me, I wouldn't use the word "Copyright". I looked up Jason Thorn's original project and snooped around in it, and I didn't see where he actually claimed any Copyright. Here in the States, just using the word "Copyright" has the possibility of limiting what others can do with it.

If it were me, I'd just say something like, "Originally written by Jason Thorn...".

Take Care,
Elroy

[dreammanor]

Hi Dragokas, your source code is always very useful, thank you for sharing.

[Dragokas]

Elroy, ahh, ok. I didn't notice.

Copyright is a legal right created by the law of a country that grants the creator of an original work exclusive rights for its use and distribution

I see. I'll change it.

[dilettante]

Here in the States, just using the word "Copyright" has the possibility of limiting what others can do with it.

Not true.

Just the act of writing something grants the author copyright. Legally you can't just take it and use it except within the narrow limits of "fair use" unless the author explicitly grants you additional rights.

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/f...al.html#mywork

When is my work protected?

Your work is under copyright protection the moment it is created and fixed in a tangible form that it is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.

I'm not sure why people make up all sorts of urban legends about this kind of thing when they have web search engines at their fingertips.

[Elroy]

Dilettante,

You and I seem to go round-and-round a bit too often. And it's been something over 20 years since I've checked on this, but I was 50% owner of a company that sold software around the world in "another lifetime". A client even flew me to Kuwait before the first war over there. Ok ok, I'm showing my age.

However, when we were selling and protecting that software (accounting software for architects and engineers), we consulted often with a lawyer. Also, we would sometimes send out "utilities" that included the source code. In fact, we had to keep a copy in a safety deposit box as demanded by many of our clients.

However, bottom line, our lawyer insisted that we put a copyright notice at the top of every source code file, as well as on the main menu and in the printed documentation. We actually did file for various copyrights. However, our lawyer assured us that there had been several cases whereby just "declaring something as copyright protected" granted certain rights and privileges.

Regarding just throwing something out there (such as on this forum), I have no idea what protection you have. I've always assumed you have none at all. And there's probably something about this in the VBForums TOS, but I haven't read them that closely lately.

Anyway, I'm fairly certain that neither of us is a lawyer, so I don't think either of us can speak on the issue with complete authority. But, unless you provide a link to a SCOTUS case, I'll continue to believe that just declaring Copyright does provide a certain degree of protection, although I'd always recommend registering any work you were genuinely concerned with with the US Copyright Office.

Actually, I just Googled around a bit and found this...

Copyright protection exists immediately when you create your work and does not require registration to be valid. For example, once you have finished creating a painting, you have copyright protection of the painting. Nevertheless, there are advantages to registering with the Copyright Office, so consider registering.

Now, it seems that you (and your US Gov link) are suggesting that we have Copyright protection on everything we write. And the Copyright office can say that. But I can promise that a piece of work registered with the US Copyright Office will have more protection than a piece of work that's not. Why would book publishers, newspapers, movie studios, and the like even bother with the pronouncements and the registration if that weren't the case?

Now, here on these forums. There may be something in the TOS about Copyrights (probably saying that there are none), but Dragokas originally stated that it was copyrighted. So, are you going to put on your lawyer's hat again and figure out which one will hold up in court? It's not worth it. It's better to just say it's not Copyrighted if you're putting it out here.

And, I'm out'a this particular point.

Y'all Take Care,
Elroy

EDIT1: I was just perusing the TOS, and it appears that VBForums attempts to claim Copyright ownership of everything posted here. I couldn't find an easy quote that made sense to post, but I did find something else that's a bit disturbing:

you agree not to reproduce, modify, rent, lease, loan, sell, distribute, or create derivative works based (whether in whole or in part) on, all or any part of the Site or any materials made available through the Site.

I'm not worried because everything I do is open source. However, if taken to heart, that statement could dampen some people's participation in this site.

[Dragokas]

All right, guys. Please, stop hijacking my thread.

[2kaud]

Now, it seems that you (and your US Gov link) are suggesting that we have Copyright protection on everything we write

Yes. By default, copyright automatically rests with the author/creator of the work. Copyright can be transferred by the creator from the creator to any other person or body - or can be waived absolutely or in certain circumstances etc. That is why if you work for a software house etc part of your conditions of employment will be the transfer of copyright to the company (if there isn't then what you create for the company belongs to you and if you leave you can take it with you as the company doesn't own it!). However, if you wish to contest usage of a copyright work, you have to prove that you held the copyright before the contested usage. This can be done in several ways (registering, putting it in a sealed envelope and posting it to yourself etc etc).

[Shaggy Hiker]

I'm not sure that this is really a hijacking, yet, as there was use of the term copyright in the original post, so the first few replies were relevant to the thread. However, since the OP has asked that people dispense with the discussion of copyright, since the OP felt it didn't pertain to this thread, everybody should honor that position and get back to discussing the code itself. If people want to discuss the merits and meaning of copyright, that should be in the Gen Dev forum. If they want to discuss the wording of the VBF rules, that should be in Forum Feedback.