LINQ to XSD Preview Alpha 0.2 for Orcas Beta 1 Available

Ralf Lämmel has posted an updated LINQ to XSD Preview Alpha 0.2 version that's compatible with LINQ to XML in Orcas Beta 1. The download date is 5/24/2007, but Ralf's LINQ to XSD Preview Alpha 0.2 to go with Orcas Beta 1 post didn't appear on the XML Team's blog until today. This drop updates the Alpha 0.1 version for the LINQ May 2006 CTP.

Ralf says the functionality is the same as version 0.1 for the March 2007 CTP and suggests that users read the updated “Revealing the X/O impedance mismatch” whitepaper. Ralf equates LINQ to XSD with the Philosopher's Stone, an analogy with which I agree (at least for LINQ to XML), by the paper's title to "Revealing the X/O impedance mismatch: Changing lead into gold."

According the to the ReadMe.htm file, version 0.2 offers the following features:

• Comprehensive and canonical XML-schema-to object-model mapping.
• The generated classes model typed views on XML trees.
• Typed descendant and ancestor axes on XML object types.
• Discoverable object models including tool tips for XML schema constraints.
• Visual Studio integration through project templates with build tasks.
• Command-line interface for mapping tool.

Alpha 0.2 offers very limited support for VB 9.0, to wit:

• Code generation emits only C# classes.
• To use LINQ to XSD with VB, you must generate a C# library and add it to your VB project.

My initial tests with relatively simple XML files and queries, functional construction, and literal XML file generation indicate that the Alpha 0.2 bits are stable.

Here are the two previous OakLeaf posts about LINQ to XSD:

• More LINQ to XSD Rumblings (January 22, 2007)
• Reduce Object/XML Impedance Mismatch with LINQ to XSD (December 7, 2006)

The December post has a substantial bibliography for LINQ to XSD and related topics.

Here's hoping that LINQ to XSD will move from the incubator to full-fledged Beta status with VB support in the near future. 

Technorati tags: LINQ to XSD, LINQ to XML, LINQ, Orcas Beta 1