What's the best way to convert a simple XML form to a Sideview Utils view?

[Lowell]

I've been converting several of my simple XML forms views into Advanced XML views using Sideview Utils with fairly good success, but I'm not sure if I'm doing everything properly. I've run into at least one view that doesn't work on IE7. (Now the Sideview util version of my view is way more complex (and 10x more helpful) than the basic simple XML "form" that I started with, so that could be part of the issue, but it's also possible that I'm not wiring all the modules properly.)

Are there any helpful docs or guidelines for "converting" between a simple XML "form" to using the advanced XML with the Sideview utils modules?

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For the purpose of background info, I'll briefly describe the process I've been using:

Basically, I tack on ?showsource=true to the URL of my form view--which gives me the advanced XML representation of my simple XML form. Then I copy the XML (to a temporary view, so that I don't break the original) and convert it to a Sideview Util based view, which is loosly done by: (1) replace all the user input modules for the Sideview util equivalents (e.g. swap out ExtendedFieldSearch with TextField). (2) I strip out any references to intentions, add the SideviewUtils and URLLoader modules at the top, (3) I swap out any HiddenSearch modules for the Search modules. Often I can also combine several searches and use PostProcess which makes the view faster and less resource intensive. (4) I strip out all modules that don't appear to be needed, or that I don't want, such as: HidenFieldPicker modules that don't have any parameters, and EnablePreview, and ViewstateAdapter.

My apologies if I've missed something in the docs or a how-to or best-practices doc out there.

[sideview]

I wrote up this post, and I'd love to hear any feedback you have. http://sideviewapps.com/654/so-youd-like-to-convert-a-simplified-xml-dashboard-or-form-to-sideview-u...

[sideview · Accepted solution]

You've pretty much got it. Feel free to send me a copy of the XML and I'll take a look, and post any additional advice I see back in this answer. But you've got it. The Simplified XML has the weird behavior of nesting everything inside JobProgressIndicator and also nesting everything inside EnablePreview; neither of those things make any sense and those modules should be leaf nodes. But that's all I can think of that you didnt mention.

UPDATE: I also wrote up a pretty detailed post that details all the individual steps and conversions, showing example code before and after.

http://sideviewapps.com/654/so-youd-like-to-convert-a-simplified-xml-dashboard-or-form-to-sideview-u...

[RicoSuave]

This is almost exactly what i have been doing. I tell all my users to use firefox so I can't tell you if my conversions are working on IE7.

I would also like to know if there is a how-to or best-practices doc out there.