SMARTrees are saved in XML format that allows for easy editing and sharing in the client software as well as other common editors and applications. XML is a markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards.

The design goals of XML emphasize simplicity, generality, and usability. XML-based formats have become the default for many office-productivity tools, including Microsoft Office (Office Open XML), OpenOffice.org (OpenDocument), and Apple’s iWork. Many application programming interfaces (APIs) have been developed for software developers to use and process XML data.

The XML format of a SMARTree has two sections; the information section and the elements section. The information section contains data that describe the tree including key dates, user name and version. The elements section is where the tree data is stored. Each element in the tree contains a set of tags shown below. They describe the hierarchy in the tree as well as content, various parameters and conditions of the element as well as key dates.

The SMARTree XML files can be opened in many other editors including Notepad©, Microsoft Excel© and a host of developer platforms. By utilizing this simple text based XML format you will always have access to the raw data you generate using the SMARTree client.

Check out the YouTube video below to see SMARTree in action saving to the various formats described here.

XML format of SMARTrees Described

XML Format