SAX Content handlers do parse data in one go with very little to no overhead whatsoever, but for each XML file with a differently layout or if you need something different out of the same XML file, you will need to code a corresponding content handler. There is also the problem that not all XML-ish data is nicely written with the data types in a serial order. I think there should be something like what I need even if partially (if I am making sense ;-)). Which libraries implement such a thing? Or how would you suggest such a library should be implemented? lbrtchx