Hi all,

Thanks to everyone here for the great, informal and friendly exchange on JSON, XML, ...

In addition to what Tamar said and NOT in contradiction with what others, including both Ricks said, XML and JSON can definitely serve different purposes. This is our case here as well.

In our current big app and also "fwiw", we use XML as a way to deliver and retrieve complex high-recursive data structures. In this case, XML is used as an alternative to constructing a complex proprietary data format. The format is used for both local or http-forwarded data storage resources.

In the very same app, we use JSON in the same way. But for simpler data structures. Since plain JSON strings can be easy to read and edited, we took advantage of this and embedded an interactive resource editor within the application.

In our case, we certainly could have replace JSON with XML. But we would have lost the "end-user edition" facility. Conversely we would and could certainly NOT replace the highly complex XML structures with JSON-based ones. By the way, this app handles very limited database info. So no dbms-based data service. We end up handlings them as CSVs. Mostly locals ones.

Some will understand that, although this application happen to be started as a VFP one, in view of the material, xml, json and CSV resources, both local and http-based, this app would better be served as a python, java or a C# appp. Sure!

Daniel