<udl> (UDL Connection String)

This element specifies the Universal Data Link (UDL) connection string used to reconnect to an external data source. The string within this element's @val attribute shall contain the connection string that the hosting application shall pass to a external data source access application to enable the WordprocessingML document to be reconnected to the specified external data source.

If this string is omitted, then no UDL connection string shall be associated with the ODSO data for this mail merge.

This connection string is only used under the following conditions:

  • The <dataType> element (§2.14.10) is set to native

  • The current application is able to use the information contained in the <odso> element (§2.14.25) to access the data source

[: In this case, using the connection string in the <udl> element will provide an equal or greater amount of information for the mail merge data source for clients which can consume it. ]

example: 
<w:udl w:val="Provider=Example;Password=Test;User ID=readonly;…" />

The <udl> element specifies that the string Provider=Example;Password=Test;User ID=readonly;… shall be used to enable the given WordprocessingML document to be reconnected to the specified external data source. ]

Parent Elements

<odso> (§2.14.25)

Attributes

Description

<val> (String Value)

Specifies that its contents will contain a string.

The contents of this string are interpreted based on the context of the parent XML element.

<w:pPr>
  <w:pStyle w:val="heading1" /> 
</w:pPr>

The value of the @val attribute is the ID of the associated paragraph style's styleId.

However, consider the following fragment:

<w:sdtPr>
  <w:alias w:val="SDT Title Example" />
  ...
</w:sdtPr>

In this case, the decimal number in the @val attribute is the caption of the parent structured document tag. In each case, the value is interpreted in the context of the parent element. ]

The possible values for this attribute are defined by the ST_String simple type (§2.18.89).

The following XML Schema fragment defines the contents of this element:

<complexType name="CT_String">
	<attribute name="val" type="ST_String" use="required"/>
</complexType>