eXist xml database

I’ve been using eXist for a little while now on a project that I’m doing for ATS. I have to say that I like it so far. It runs out of the box with no problems. I’ve installed it on a windows server running Tomcat. ANT has tasks specifically for eXist.

With targets like this one:

<target name="loadapp">
     <xdb:store xmlns:xdb="http://exist-db.org/ant">
     uri="xmldb:exist://your-server/exist/path/to/collection"
     createcollection="true">
          <fileset dir="xquery">
               <include name="*.xq">
               </include>
          </fileset>
     </xdb:store>
</target>

I can create a collection and load files into it.

This is the first time that I’ve used XQuery. It’s a little bit awkward at first, but once you start thinking in XQuery it’s really a nice little language. One thing I learned early on is that in order to keep with DRY principals you have to make good use of your own modules.

In your module put:

module namespace yourlib= "http://your-server/exist/servlet/db/your/library";

In your XQuery file that uses your module put:

import module namespace yourlib =
 "http://your-server/exist/servlet/db/your/library" at "/db/your/library.xq";

This jacks up your re-usability!

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