In order to more efficiently manage metadata documentation regarding fields in Tableau data sources, I need the ability to read the information in the element for a column so that I can write that information to a database. Conversely I need to be able to write information back out to this element after reading the information stored in a database. It will also be necessary for me to be able to determine what table a field comes from. Below is an example of the data I want to be able to read/write.

  <column datatype='string' name='[STATUS]' role='dimension' type='nominal'>
    <desc>
      <formatted-text>
        <run bold='true' fontsize='10'>Case Mix Index VAL</run>
        <run fontcolor='#686868'>&#10;The MSDRG weight for inpatients with charges &gt; 0. Does not include inpatient rehab, normal&#10;newborns or MSDRG 999.</run>
        <run bold='true' fontcolor='#297a98'>&#10;&#10;HSP_ACCT_MULT_DRGS.DRG_WEIGHT (HAR 651)</run>
      </formatted-text>
    </desc>
  </column>