[erlang-questions] xmerl documentation

[Edward Stow]

Hi,

I am having a hard time working my way through some simple xml
processing because I cannot understand the documentation.

Q. From the xmerl reference, one of the exports is

callbacks(M::atom()) -> [atom()]
    Find the list of inherited callback modules for a given module.

What does the double colon notation mean : M::atom() in the above?
What is the purpose of the function - what is an example of its usage.
I tried this:

31> xmerl:callbacks(xmerl).
** exception error: undefined function xmerl:'#xml-inheritance#'/0
     in function  xmerl:check_inheritance/2
     in call from xmerl:callbacks/1

32> xmerl:callbacks(xmerl_xml).
[xmerl_xml]

So what is the point?

Another example:

export_simple(Data::Content, Callback, RootAttrs::RootAttributes) ->
ExportedFormat

Types:

Content = [Element]
Callback = atom()
RootAttributes = [XmlAttributes]

Exports "simple-form" XML content, using the specified callback-module.

Q:  What are the atoms that can be used as the Callback.  They are not
defined in the reference manual.  From reading the tutorial and list
messages I know about xmerl_xml, and xmerl_html but have not seen any
definitions of the effect of these on the content.

Q:  What is ExportedFormat ?  AFAICT it is not defined in the reference manual.


27> Data.
{ewaygateway,[{ewayCustomerID,["87654321"]}]}

28> xmerl:export_simple_content([Data], xmerl_xml).
[[["<","ewaygateway",">"],
  [[["<","ewayCustomerID",">"],
    ["87654321"],
    ["</","ewayCustomerID",">"]]],
  ["</","ewaygateway",">"]]]

29> lists:flatten(xmerl:export_simple_content([Data], xmerl_xml)).
"<ewaygateway><ewayCustomerID>87654321</ewayCustomerID></ewaygateway>"

Anoher examle:

export_simple_content(Data, Callback) -> term()

Exports simple XML content directly, without further context.

Comment:  A term() is any erlang data structure -- but a list is returned.

Comment: I would not call the output from this function  'simple XML
content', I was expecting a string.

Q.  What is the 'context' that this and many other functions in xmerl
can do without?

Sorry for so many questions in total frustration ....

-- 

Edward Stow