The ABL DOM interface is most quickly employed if:
You understand XML
You understand DOM programming
You understand ABL programming including the use of built-in objects and their handles, methods, and attributes
If you have not yet learned XML, then DOM programming is not a productive starting point for you. Take the time to learn basic XML with any one of the many online or printed tutorials.
If you understand DOM, then you will find the ABL implementation to be a useful one that implements all the features of DOM that are needed by an ABL programmer. It is not a complete implementation of the entire DOM specification.
If you are not a DOM programmer, you can use this chapter to understand the ABL implementation and to develop pragmatic skills for reading and writing XML documents, as well as building XML documents or fragments in memory. The ABL implementation takes a somewhat difficult technology and makes it much easier to exploit within the ABL environment.
If you are an ABL programmer not yet experienced with built-in ABL objects, then you will find this an easy skill to acquire. If you do not understand something in this chapter, you can refer to the OpenEdge Development: ABL Reference for complete information about the object, handle, attribute, or method. Note that this ABL skill level does not require you to know or understand the support for true object-oriented programming also provided by the ABL. Think of ABL built-in or system objects as useful, consistent, easy-to-use encapsulations of system resources or technologies that increase the richness of the ABL programming environment.
You understand XML