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Config Specification
The Configuration Data Object Model (DOM) provides a centralized mechanism for specifying
configuration options for XFA applications. The configuration information may be specified in XML format
and passively loaded at the start of processing. However the Configuration DOM also supports a scripting
interface which allows user-supplied scripts to examine and modify the configuration settings.
An XML document containing XFA configuration options is referred to in this specification as an “XFA
configuration document”. A file containing such a document is often referred to as an “XCI file”. “XCI”
stands for XFA Configuration Information. Often the filename suffix “.xci” is used for XCI files, but this is
merely a convention.
Background
In order to use the configuration options it is necessary to understand where and when each option has its
effect. Typically XFA applications pass through a number of stages. For example, an interactive form-filling
application passes through the following stages:
1. Load the configuration options into the Configuration DOM.
2. Load the template into the Template DOM.
3. Obtain existing user data from the host in the form of an XML document.
4. Preprocess existing user data via an XSLT interpreter.
5. Load the preprocessed data into the XML Data DOM.
6. Load the data from the XML Data DOM into the XFA Data DOM.
7. Merge the existing data with the template.
8. Layout the merged template plus data onto pages.
9. Present the laid-out pages to the user.
10. Accept and validate input from the user, updating the XFA Data DOM.
11. Unload the updated user data from the XFA Data DOM to the XML Data DOM.
12. Create a new XML document containing the updated user data.
13. Postprocess the new XML document via an XSLT interpreter.
14. Send the postprocessed XML document to the host.
Notionally, a separate processor handles each phase, however all of the processors rely on the
Configuration DOM to supply them with configuration information. This centralized mechanism makes it
possible to keep all of the configuration information in a single XML document for easy maintenance, and
to supply a uniform scripting interface for all configuration options.
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