Generate Visio compatible XML (VDX) with ASP.NET

Question

I need to create a web page (.aspx) that creates a Visio compatible XML (VDX) filed, based on my application data, and sends it to the user.

I suppose to:

• Create once with Visio a .VDX template (that will be stored in App_Data folder)
• Programatically load the template, edit the XML, save a copy into Public folder, give the user the link to download this file.

I can't install Visio on webserver, so i must work on XML and can't use Visio Primary Interop Assembly.

Googling, I can't find

• Specifications about XML rules that are used by Visio
• Sample code that works on VDX xml
• 3rd party DLLs that can help development

can someone help?

Answer 1

also checkout Saveen Reddy's VisioAutomation project on GitHub, which allows you to generate VDX files without requiring Visio:

https://github.com/saveenr/VisioAutomation

Update - another resource is Visio MVP, Al Edlund's 'xmlVisio' project, also on CodePlex:

http://xmlvisio.codeplex.com/

Answer 2

Very interesting links from Simon Halsey and JohnoGldsmith.
I found Visio Guy which is very interesting, too.

Answer 3

I think this is what you've been looking for.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff768724.aspx

As it's standard XML you can use the classes in System.Xml to modify the XML you load from the template. You should have no need to use Visio Automation, therefore no need to install Visio on the webserver.