Using XML with BI Publisher

Here's a quick guide for this deadly combo:
XML, BI Publisher, and Application Engine.

We start by importing the delivered Application Package.

import PSXP_RPTDEFNMANAGER:*;

The following function is optional if you're not expecting dirty data.

Function xml_text_clean(&InputText) Returns string;
   Local string &OutputText;
   &OutputText = Substitute(&InputText, "&", "&");
   Return (&OutputText);
End-Function;

Here we are creating the xml file. Add the instance to keep the filename unique.

&Filename = %FilePath | "MYXML_" | String(MYRECORD_AET.PROCESS_INSTANCE) | ".xml";
&FILE = GetFile(&Filename, "W", %FilePath_Absolute);
If &FILE.IsOpen Then
   &FILE.WriteLine("");
   &FILE.WriteLine("");
Else
   MessageBox(0, "", 0, 0, "Error cannot open file %1", &Filename);
   Exit (0);
End-If;

Obviously, data has to come somewhere so this is the part where you do your data fetching stuff like SQLEXEC.

&ContactText = &ContactText | Char(13) | Char(10) | xml_text_clean(MYRECORD_AET.CONTACT);
&AddressText = &AddressText | xml_text_clean(MYRECORD_AET.ADDRESS);

Now assign your raw data to xml tags.

&FILE.WriteLine("<CONTACT>" | xml_text_clean(&ContactText) | "</CONTACT>");
&FILE.WriteLine("<ADDRESS>" | xml_text_clean(&AddressText) | "</ADDRESS>");

Just some regular closing stuff.

&FILE.WriteLine("");
&FILE.Close();

Start feeding the xml file to the report definition.

Local PSXP_RPTDEFNMANAGER:ReportDefn &oRptDefn;
&oRptDefn = create PSXP_RPTDEFNMANAGER:ReportDefn("MYREPORTDEFN1");
&oRptDefn.Get();
&oRptDefn.OutDestination = %FilePath;
&oRptDefn.SetRuntimeDataXMLFile(&Filename);
&oRptDefn.ProcessReport("MYREPORTDEFN1", "ENG", %Date, "PDF");

Like a good guy that we are, remove the generated XML file after we are done with it.

&FILE = GetFile(&Filename, "W", %FilePath_Absolute);
&FILE.Delete();

The report definition will look something like this.

And the report template is like this.

.