	Related Topics:
	Importing and Exporting

Working with XML Files

Extensible Markup Language (XML, *.xml) is a markup language for documents that contain structured information. It allows you to easily describe and deliver this structured data from any application in a standard, consistent way. XML is a text-based file format and provides the flexibility of allowing applications to read/write data into this file format based on a particular application's needs while still maintaining a common and open file format.

Saving as XML

To save the project that is currently open as an XML file, choose Project > Management > Import/Export > Export and, in the Export Wizard that appears, select Other file. A project saved as an XML file will contain all the pertinent information to recreate the diagrams. However, visual aspects of the diagram (e.g., diagram style settings, block style settings, etc.) will not be saved, nor will additional tools such as plots, allocation analyses, attachments, etc.

Note: Only the current project is saved to the XML file; if no project is open, a message informing you of this will be displayed

Opening XML Files

There are two ways to open XML files in BlockSim:

If you want to create a new standard database that contains the project saved in the XML file, choose File > Open Repository. In the Open window that appears, select XML files (*.xml) from the Files of type drop-down list and then browse for the file that you want to import.
If you want to import the contents of the project saved in the XML file into the project currently open in BlockSim, choose Project > Management > Import/Export > Import and then select the Other file option in the Import Wizard. In the Open window that appears, select XML files (*.xml) from the Files of type drop-down list and then browse for the file that you want to import.

If there is an error in the XML file, you will see an error message. You can select the Copy error details to Clipboard option before clicking OK if you want to view a list of the errors found in the XML file. You can then paste the list into any word processor (e.g., Notepad, WordPad, etc.).

BlockSim also allows you to import XML files that are created based on ReliaSoft’s Complex Definition Schema, which is an open standard published by ReliaSoft for defining systems. Files that are created by other applications using this schema can then be opened in BlockSim.