Calling Custom XML Providers

Before you can import XML from Custom XML Providers you should ensure that the “Custom XML Provider” connection has been defined. Read more in the Data Connection Definitions section.

Select “Custom XML Provider” as your connection, and write the full name of the class you wish to call as the command.

Full class names are defined by the namespace of the class and the name of the class it self, like “MyCorp.CompositeProviders.CoolXmlProvider”. The .NET developer building the provider should be able to tell you the name of the class.

The “Command type” and “Result format” fields are ignores for Custom XML Provider Queries.

The Cache duration field is observed, and you should consider caching results if the Custom XML Provider takes a long time to complete or take up costly resources. Parameter values are used to create the cache key which ensures that the cache works as expected.

Specifying parameters

All the parameters you specify are passed to the Custom XML Provider. The parameters can be constants or dynamic.

You should request a list if supported and required parameters from the provider developer and observe the naming of parameters. Parameter names should not start with “@” unless the provider expects this.

Previewing XML from Custom XML Providers

Custom XML Providers are unable to execute within the administrative context of Composite which require you to use the XSLT <Debug /> feature to get a preview of the emitted XML.