What are XML files?
XML files are files of data expressed in a particular flexible layout (see examples in 5.). Different users can send different data items. As long as the names of the fields are standardised, everybody can cope with the same files, and there’s no need for a program to be re-written if the issuer changes the items included (as long as the items essential to the receiver, such as the number of guests, are always included). We will propose a set of code-names, eg “Dorm size=6” would be the code for ‘number of vacant beds in 6-bed dorms’, “Priv size=3” for ‘nr of vacant beds in 3-bed privates’, etc. If a hostel works only with dorm beds without specifying sizes, it will use the code-name “Dorm”. Every software writer, and every booking engine, could write a program module in their chosen language to receive and produce XML files. Most programming languages have routines to make this easy. If a hostel uses, say, a spreadsheet which does not have this facility, then their system can generate
