ALTERING DROP-DOWN MENUS FOR THE

ADMISSIONS IT SERVICE REQUEST FORM

This document outlines the steps necessary to alter one (1) or more of the XML Files in the Admissions IT Service Request Log Reference Tables Data Connection Library, which are used to populate the various drop-

down menus on the Admissions IT Service Request Form

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Introduction

Dear Reader:

The drop-down menus on the Admissions IT Service Request Form are populated using XML

Files hosted in the Admissions IT Service Request Log Reference Tables Data Connection Library.

Over time, these XML Files may need to be updated to reflect current departments or business

practices.

This document has been compiled to instruct you in the procedure to add or remove a single entry

to one (1) of the hosted XML Files. While this tutorial is for a single entry, the techniques may be

extended to add or remove multiple entries to one of the hosted XML Files. I hope these

instructions prove helpful.

Sincerely,

Edwin M. Jackson

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Contents Adding an Entry to an XML File .................................................................................................................. 6

Step 1: Opening the Admissions IT SharePoint Site in SharePoint Designer ......................... 6

Step 2: Navigating to the XML File in SharePoint Designer...................................................... 7

Step 3: Opening the Data Connection Library in SharePoint Designer .................................. 8

Step 4, Part A: Opening the XML File for Editing ...................................................................... 9

Step 4, Part B: Opening the XML File for Editing ..................................................................... 10

Step 5: Copying an XML Entry for Insertion .............................................................................. 11

Step 6: Creating Insertion Point for Copied XML Entry .......................................................... 12

Step 7: Inserting the Copied XML Entry..................................................................................... 13

Step 8: Updating the Contents of the ID and SEVERITY XML Elements ................................ 14

Step 9: Update the Contents of the ID XML Elements for Subsequent XML Entries .......... 15

Step 10: Update Other XML Elements If Necessary ................................................................. 16

Step 11: Saving Your Changes ..................................................................................................... 17

Step 12: Check That Your Changes Have Taken Effect .......................................................... 18

Removing an Entry from an XML File ....................................................................................................... 20

Step 1: Select the XML Entry You Wish to Remove ................................................................. 20

Step 2: Removing the Selected XML Entry ................................................................................ 21

Step 3: Updating the Contents of the ID XML Elements ......................................................... 22

Step 4: Update Other XML Elements If Necessary ................................................................... 23

Step 5: Saving Your Changes ....................................................................................................... 24

Step 6: Check That Your Changes Have Taken Effect............................................................. 25

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Adding an Entry to an XML File

Step 1: Opening the Admissions IT SharePoint Site in SharePoint Designer To begin the process of adding an entry to an XML Document, we must navigate to the Admissions

IT SharePoint Site, open the Site Actions Menu, and Select “Edit in SharePoint Designer” as

shown below in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Opening the Admissions IT SharePoint Site in SharePoint Designer

NOTE: You will need Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2010 or later and Microsoft Internet

Explorer installed on your computer to perform this step and continue. If you do not have either

Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2010 or later or Microsoft Internet Explorer installed on your

computer, please contact a member of the Admissions IT Technical Support Staff or your office

administrator.

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Step 2: Navigating to the XML File in SharePoint Designer

With the Admissions IT SharePoint Site now open in SharePoint Designer, in the Navigation Pane,

select “All Files” as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Viewing All Site Objects

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Step 3: Opening the Data Connection Library in SharePoint Designer

In the All Files Tab of the explorer window, select the “Admissions IT Service Request Log

Reference Tables” folder to open it, seen below in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Opening the Admissions IT Service Request Log Reference Tables Data

Connection Library

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Step 4, Part A: Opening the XML File for Editing

With the Data Connection Library now open in the explorer window, select the XML File you

wish to edit. In our example, we will edit the file named Severity.xml as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Opening the XML File for Editing

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Step 4, Part B: Opening the XML File for Editing

Once you have the appropriate file open in the explorer window, select “Edit file” under the section

titled “Customization.”

Figure 5: Selecting the “Edit file” Customization Tool

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Step 5: Copying an XML Entry for Insertion

Instead of entering a new entry manually, we will copy one of the existing entries in the XML File

and use it as a starting point for our new entry in the list. This method will ensure we do not omit

any of the XML element tags (i.e. the portions of an XML File entry in angle brackets). You will

highlight the first entry in the XML File and copy it to the clipboard via using the Control-C (Ctrl

+ c) Command.

The entries in each of the XML Files follow the following format:

For XML Files with file names containing

exactly one (1) word:

<Filename>

<ID> List Index </ID>

<FILENAME> Entry in List </FILENAME>

</Filename>

For XML Files with file names containing

more than one (1) word:

<File _x0020_Name>

<ID> List Index </ID>

<FILE_NAME> Entry in List </FILE_NAME>

</File _x0020_Name>

where _x0020_ represents the space character in hexadecimal (XML does not support the space

character in element names as the space character is reserved to separate element names from

attribute names; For more information about XML or Hexadecimal, or if you would like an

introduction to using XML via an XML Tutorial, please use the enclosed hyperlinks).

Figure 6: Copying an XML Entry for Insertion

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Step 6: Creating Insertion Point for Copied XML Entry

After copying one (1) of the XML entries, we will create an insertion point where we will paste

the copied entry before editing the contents of the two (2) inner XML elements. In our example,

we will create an insertion point between the first and second entries in our current list.

Figure 7: Creating Insertion Point for Copied XML Elements

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Step 7: Inserting the Copied XML Entry

Now that we have an insertion point, simply paste the copied XML entry at the cursor position

via using the Control-V (Ctrl + v) Command.

Figure 8: Inserting the Copied XML Entry

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Step 8: Updating the Contents of the ID and SEVERITY XML Elements

We now need to update the contents of the ID element so that it is sequential in the sequence.

Highlight the current number between the ID tags of your new entry and type the new number (i.e.

One (1) greater than the previous entry). For our example, we have entered the number “2.” To

update the contents of the SEVERITY element, highlight the text between the SEVERITY tags

and begin typing the text for the new entry; we have entered “2 – TEST ENTRY: DUMMY TEXT”

in our example. Be sure to format the new entry based on the formatting of the other entries

in the list.

Figure 9: Updating the Contents of the ID and SEVRITY XML Elements

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Step 9: Update the Contents of the ID XML Elements for Subsequent XML Entries

Ensure that the contents of the ID elements for the entries following the new entry are updated so

that, when read from the top of the list to the bottom, the numbers are increasing (i.e. Add one (1)

to the number present in the contents of the ID element for each entry occurring after the new

entry).

Figure 10: Updating the Contents of the ID XML Elements for Subsequent XML Entries

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Step 10: Update Other XML Elements If Necessary

In our example, the contents of the SEVERITY elements are also numbered sequentially, so we

must update the values of each entry following the new entry by increasing the number present in

each subsequent SEVERITY element entry by one (1).

Figure 11: Updating the SEVERITY Element Contents for Subsequent Entries

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Step 11: Saving Your Changes

To save your changes, right-click the XML file tab in the explorer window, in our example the

“Severity.xml” tab, and select “Save.”

Figure 12: Saving Your Changes

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Step 12: Check That Your Changes Have Taken Effect

Now, return to the Admissions IT SharePoint Site and open the Admissions IT Service Request

Form. Check that the changes you have made to the appropriate drop-down menu have taken

effect in the service request form. Note that you may have change to another view to see the

appropriate drop-down menu. If you notice any errors, repeat the process as outlined until the

appropriate drop-down menu appears as desired.

Figure 13: Checking That Your Changes Have Taken Effect

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Removing an Entry from an XML File

Refer to Steps 1 through 4 (Parts A and B) of the section “Adding an Entry to an XML File” before

proceeding with the following steps.

Step 1: Select the XML Entry You Wish to Remove

After Opening the Admissions IT SharePoint Site in SharePoint Designer, Navigating to the XML

File, Opening the Data Connection Library, and Opening the XML File for Editing (Part A and

Part B), we will highlight the XML entry we would like to remove which, in our example, is the

second entry. If you have read through the steps to add an entry to the list, you will notice the

entry we are removing is the very entry we added previously.

Figure 14: Selecting the XML Entry to Remove

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Step 2: Removing the Selected XML Entry

With the entry to be removed highlight, press the “Backspace” key.

Figure 15: Removing the Selected XML Entry

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Step 3: Updating the Contents of the ID XML Elements

Ensure the contents of the ID elements are numbered sequentially in ascending order (i.e. 1, 2, 3,

…, n – 1, n where n is the total number of entries in the list). In our example, the contents of the

ID elements should read, from top of the list to the bottom, 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Figure 16: Updating the Contents of the ID XML Elements

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Step 4: Update Other XML Elements If Necessary

In our example, the contents of the SEVERITY elements are also numbered sequentially, so we

must update the values of each entry so that the number for the ID matches the number in the

respective SEVERITY element.

Figure 17: Updating the SEVERITY Element Contents

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Step 5: Saving Your Changes

To save your changes, right-click the XML file tab in the explorer window, in our example the

“Severity.xml” tab, and select “Save.”

Figure 18: Saving Your Changes

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Step 6: Check That Your Changes Have Taken Effect

Now, return to the Admissions IT SharePoint Site and open the Admissions IT Service Request

Form. Check that the changes you have made to the appropriate drop-down menu have taken

effect in the service request form. Note that you may have change to another view to see the

appropriate drop-down menu. If you notice any errors, repeat the process as outlined until the

appropriate drop-down menu appears as desired.

Figure 19: Checking That Your Changes Have Taken Effect

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