如何存储结束编辑我的配置文件

Question

I have an application (split in different websites that share the same data) that contains thousands of products in different categories. Every category has its features, and to describe them I have used an XML file, embedded in a class library. Its format is like that:

<category code="" name="">
<featureGroup code="" name="">
<feature code="" name="">
<feature code="" name="">
<feature code="" name="">
</featureGroup>
</category>

This is overly simplified, my real files are much more complicated than that. The problem with this approach is that I have to recompile every time I have to make a change and redistribute my library to every different website.

So I made the file a standalone XML file, but also with this approach I have to redistribute the file every time I make a change.

So I converted my XML file in many tables and store these informations in a Sql database, but this approach has many disadvantages: it's far less flexible because if I make a change in the structure of the file I also have to change tables, relationships, stored procedures, etc... another problem is that XML works well with sorting. If I want to change the order of my features I just have to cut and paste a line in a different positions, if I try to do the same in my database I have to add a Position column and then provide some tool to reorder items and that's really a great mess.

I don't know how to solve this problems, I really like the flexibility of XML, I like the possibility of accessing my database anywhere from every web site, but I can't find a way to merge these two approaches.

Thank you very much and sorry for my rusty english!

Answer 1

Create a small web service (which is accessible like your database) and make it serve the contents of one centrally stored xml file. Ie it should have one single request which answers with your xml file.