A little confused...

[Amy Snyder]

I am trying to discern the difference between creating a web service or
using IIS Virtual Directory Management for SQL Server Utitly if I want
to provide xml data from a database.

I have created some xml templates that will allow a user to access the
data in xml format when entering the http:// address. Its pretty quick
and easy to do once the virtual directory is configured through sql.

Is creating a web service to provide xml data from a database as
straighforward?

 

[Kevin Spencer]

If you load your data into a DataSet, it is extremely simple. You just
create a WebMethod that queries the database and returns a DataSet loaded
with the results.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.

 

[Amy Snyder]

It seems there is more work involved with the web service. I guess I
am trying to understand why (if at all) you would use the webmethod
versus the xml template. Are there certain instances that would
determine which is better to use?

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Well, your original question was if using Web Services was "Is creating a
web service to provide xml data from a database as straightforward?" I
believe my answer was intentended to brielfy indicate "yes." If the question
is "Is creating a web service to provide data from a SQL Server database as
straightforward" I would have to say "no." In other words, if you''re
talking about databases in general, it is quite simple to transform a result
set (or any other kind of data) into XML using Web Services. However, as SQL
Server can do this without Web Services, it is not necessarily necessary
(depending upon your requirements) to use the extra step.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.

 

[Kevin Spencer]

Just a bit more, if it will help. For example, if you want to expose data
via HTTP over Port 80, you would have to use Web Services. This might be
necessary for any number of reasons, such as firewall issues.

--
HTH,
Kevin Spencer
..Net Developer
Microsoft MVP
Big things are made up
of lots of little things.