Re: How to forward instance data between forms ?

This is a really good question and opens up a few other issues which I would
like to understand:

1) How do you manage instance data between forms, whilst ensuring that a
scalable server architecture can be maintained? i.e. if we have 3 web
servers with load balancing, we would not want to go back to the same web
server that created the instance data for that user, so the instance data
would have to be replicated across servers.

2) If the above is resolved with files on a centralised source shared by
servers, then how do these files get cleaned up?

kind regards............Dharmesh

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Paolo C." <paoloxforms@yahoo.fr>
To: <www-forms@w3.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2003 10:47 AM
Subject: RE: How to forward instance data between forms ?


>
> Thank you very much.
> The example is very close to my needs : I want to
> split a commercial transaction over various screens,
> using a wizard-like display.
>
> I think the "file:" mode is limited, though :
> 1 - Can you give the user the ability to choose the
> directory where the instance data will be saved ? c:
> is a little rough.
> 2 - On the other hand, the file URI pointing to a
> server is not very safe from a security point of vue.
>
> Back to the wizard-like display, which is as I was
> saying, exactly the kind of process I would like to
> implement, I'm unconfortable with the fact that
> different views of the same user instance data should
> be coded in the same xml document, through
> xforms:switch and xforms:case elements. I would
> definitely prefer the ability to split among different
> xml documents, sharing instance data as session data.
>
> Thank you very much anyway.
> The provided example does help me a lot.
>
>  --- Mark Birbeck <Mark.Birbeck@x-port.net> a écrit :
> >
> > Mark wrote:
> > > This behaviour is supported by XForms using
> > >
> > > <xfm:load resource="the other form you want to
> > load" show="replace"/>
> >
> > That wouldn't achieve the desired effect since you
> > will lose the instance
> > data from the first form.
> >
> > Paolo wrote:
> > > My aim is to forward some instance data from a
> > first
> > > XForms page (form1.xml) to a second XForms page
> > > (form2.xml).
> > >
> > > [...]
> > >
> > > Is this kind of approach conformant to the XForms
> > > recommandation ?
> >
> > It depends what you mean. If you mean could you
> > refer to some 'global'
> > instances across forms, then no. But there is
> > nothing to stop you saving the
> > first lot of instance data and then picking it up
> > again in the second form.
> > This could be done to a server (which has the
> > advantage that the user could
> > continue on the second form on a different device,
> > or at a later date) or
> > saved locally, using "file:".
> >
> > One of our samples illustrates many of the ideas
> > that you would need to do
> > this:
> >
> >
> <http://www.formsplayer.com/community/samples/index.html#Off-line+Forms>
> >
> > Note in particular the use of xforms-model-destruct
> > to save the data on
> > close:
> >
> >     <xforms:action ev:event="xforms-model-destruct">
> >       <xforms:send submission="siOrder_SaveLocal" />
> >     </xforms:action>
> >
> > > Does someone know a (possibly open source) product
> > which allows this ?
> >
> > X-Smiles supports "file:" and is open source.
> > formsPlayer also supports it,
> > is not open source, but is free.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Mark
> >
> >
> > Mark Birbeck
> > CEO and CTO
> > x-port.net Ltd.
> > 4 Pear Tree Court
> > London
> > EC1R 0DS
> >
> > Download our XForms processor for IE
> > from http://www.formsPlayer.com/
> >
> > E: Mark.Birbeck@x-port.net
> > W: www.x-port.net
> > T: +44 (20) 7689 9232
> >
>
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Received on Wednesday, 29 October 2003 08:37:14 UTC