Has anyone else ever run across the need to generate an "empty" XML Document based on a Schema? I am using XSD schemas to define the state behind a VB form, using XPath expressions to implementing binding between nodes in the document and controls on the forms. I would like to generate a blank document when I load the form, so that all my XPath expressions are valid, even if they return no value. Any ideas? Thanks!

In my current application, I am using SQLXML to access my data (including JPEG images) within SQL Server 2000. By using a mapping-schema to explicitly map the datatypes (from "image" to "base64binary"), the image is automatically encoded and decoded for me.

For the .NET environment, MSDN has a really good article at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/vsent7/html/vxconcodingtechniquesprogrammingpractices.asp Kenneth LeFebvre