Question

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='us-ascii'?> 

<download
title="T7Plus Download"
terminal="Hypercom"
model="T7Plus"
>
<instructions>
OLD HYPERCOM DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS
1.  UNPLUG POWER FROM THE BACK OF THE TERMINAL
2.  HOLD DOWN THE TOP, MIDDLE, AND BOTTOM ORANGE KEYS AND PLUG TERMINAL BACK IN
3.  HOLD TOP, MIDDLE, AND BOTTOM ORANGE KEYS UNTIL TERMINAL SAYS “PLEASE INITIALIZE OR CALL HELP”
4.  PRESS FUNCTION 98 ENTER
    a.  CORRECT? YES OR NO – PRESS ENTER
5.  PRESS FUNCTION 99 ENTER
6.  PROGRAM FUNCTION – PRESS 9 ENTER
7.  TYPE? – PRESS 6 ENTER
8.  TYPE? – PRESS 2 ENTER (READING EPROM)
9.  TYPE? – PRESS 1 ENTER
10. PRESS CANCEL
11. PRESS FUNCTION 2 ENTER
12. TERMINAL ID:    (nine digit number)
13. INIT PHONE NUMBER:      1-877-576-8399
14. NMS PHONE NUMBER:   1-877-576-8399
15. DIAL 0- TONE 1- PULSE
    a.  PRESS 0 ENTER
16. PABX ACCESS CODE (IF MERCHANT NEEDS A 9 OR ANY OTHER PREFIX)
17. EXIT PRESS CANCEL
    a.  PRESS CANCEL
18. PRESS FUNCTION 92 ENTER
    a.  PROGRAM RUN – CORRECT? YES OR NO – PRESS ENTER
19. WHEN THE PROGRAM LOAD IS COMPLETE, THE TERMINAL WILL DISPLAY “PLEASE INITIALIZE”
20. PRESS INITIALIZE THEN ENTER
    ***ONCE INITIALIZED, THE PROGRAM LOAD IS COMPLETE***
    </instructions> 
</download>

The above example is my first ever attempt at writing my own XML. I’m trying to create a guide for my job, this is the first page.

from what little I’ve been able to gather, You have to create your own tags, which I believe I did correctly. I’ve always learned by doing and never gained much from reading instructions.

If anybody has a few minutes to just point out what I did right/wrong, I’d be so grateful.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

You’ve produced some valid XML, but I think that large chunk of text in the middle is not very XML-esque. I’d suggest using XML to organize the steps. For example, you could use an attribute for the title:

<instructions title="OLD HYPERCOM DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS">

And then the individual steps could be given their own nodes:

<item text="UNPLUG POWER FROM THE BACK OF THE TERMINAL" />
<item text="HOLD DOWN THE TOP, MIDDLE, AND BOTTOM ORANGE KEYS AND PLUG TERMINAL BACK IN" />

In cases where steps have sub-steps, you could nest nodes underneath these:

<item text="PRESS FUNCTION 98 ENTER">
  <subitem text="CORRECT? YES OR NO – PRESS ENTER" />
</item>
<item text="PRESS FUNCTION 99 ENTER" />

I think that would put you on your way to making some more organized XML.