You can use the XML file connection command on the Data Source tab to connect to an XML file located on an external server. You do not import this XML file to your site; instead, you link to the site through its URL.
A commonly used external XML file is generated by RSS feed. The server that publishes the content as XML data (in accordance with the RSS format) has an RSS feed. Many Internet-oriented servers produce XML data in RSS format, as do XML files or server-side scripts.
Note: With Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, lists and libraries can use RSS to display content.
In this exercise, you will connect to an XML file to extract data published by an external server.
Important: In this exercise, you access RSS through the Internet. Must have Internet access.
Preparation: Open the previously used site in SharePoint Designer. Open the DataSourceTest.aspx page, and the data source library page.
1. Click the data source library page, and click the XML file link.
2. input source.
Warning: In order to connect to the URL on the Internet, you need to configure the web.config proxy server settings of the SharePoint server.
3. Click “General” and name the SharePoint Designer team blog
4. Click “Log in” and make sure that “Don’t try to verify” is checked.
5. Click OK.
The SharePoint Designer Team Blog data connection appears in the data source library. If you can see the hidden URL structure, you will also see the corresponding UDC XML files in the fpdatasources library in the all-file mini library.
6. Click the DataSourceTest.aspx tab. 7. In the PlaceHolderMain area, click “Click here to select data source”. Click SharePoint Designer team blog, click OK. The data source details task pane appears. Shows the XML root element rss, and the sub-element channel (contains many project sub-elements). Tips: When data is connected via the network, SharePoint may be locked. It may be caused by network problems and/or poor performance of the server that provides the XML data. In order to speed up the design progress, in the design tab, set the data view to display sample data. Clear the Show data value option at the bottom of the data source details task pane.