Need advice on data visualization, xml database

Hi

What I am looking for is sort of complex so please bare with me.

I need a way to append xml data onto graphics or objects to be displayed on rolling over each object OR (even better) a way to have the data appended to each graphic modify that graphic in some way. I am thinking of the way you can do this in Visio, though I am not sure how many people are familiar with that package.

As an example, say I have a database of 100 entities, each one with 10 variables some numerical and some alphanumerical - I want to assign each entitiy to an object on the stage. It could be a line or a box or a…and ideally you might be able to show the grpahics aligned and have actionscript sort by a certain variable.

Another thing that might be useful is if each entity had a numerical value that could trigger the dimensions of the object which that entity was appended to.

Finally, I would like to be able to mouseover an entty and have the appended alphanumerical data show up somewhere on screen.

I can imagine doing something like this manually, one object at a time, but I am looking for an automated method. If anyone can cite any examples of seeing something like this in practice, or if anyone knows of any tutorials to get started I would really appreciate it. I don’t know where to begin…

thanks