Selecting a single node in 'XML'

[John Barleycorn]

Hi

I'm sorry if this question is a bit basic for most people, but I'm really
new to VB (I'm using the .NET 2005 Express Edition), but I've set myself a
task and would love to see it through.

The problem is that an application we use has a config file which looks
XML-like and contains the following:

<design filerevision="1 " fileversion="0" >
<types>
<type name="Password" default="" inherits="Passw ord" regex=""
regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="Text" default="" inherits="Text" regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="DN" default="" inherits="DN" regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="DNs" default="" inherits="DNs" regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="Check" default="" inherits="Check " regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="lstCountr ies" default="" inherits="combo " regex=""
regexsample="">
<values>
<value key="US">
</value>
<value key="AD">
</value>
<value key="AE">
</value>
<value key="AF">
</value>
<value key="AG">
</value>
<value key="AI">
</value>
<value key="AL">
</value>
<value key="AM">
</value>
</values>
</type>
</design>

The lstCountries node is list of iso country codes but sometimes they are
not sorted alphabetically and sometimes I don't want them all to be visible,
so I'm writing an app to resolve these problems. BUT I'm failing at the
first hurdle because I can't see how to read the config file and select JUST
the lstCountries values, putting them into a CheckedListBox.

If the node was simply called <countriesthe n I can select it but because
it's <type name=".... I can't figure out how to select just that section of
the file.

I suppose I'll have the same problem with the <value="... elements as well
but if I can solve the first problem I should be OK with that one!

Can anyone give me some pointers? Or better still, is there any code
available? I've trawled everywhere with no success!

Thanks.

JB

[Rick]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'

xmlDocument.Doc umentElement.Se lectSingleNode( "types/type[@name='1stCount ries']")

Not tested but it should be something like that

Rick


"John Barleycorn" <john.barleycor n@nospam.comwro te in message
news:ubff6wr%23 GHA.1224@TK2MSF TNGP04.phx.gbl. ..

Hi
>
I'm sorry if this question is a bit basic for most people, but I'm really
new to VB (I'm using the .NET 2005 Express Edition), but I've set myself a
task and would love to see it through.
>
The problem is that an application we use has a config file which looks
XML-like and contains the following:
>
<design filerevision="1 " fileversion="0" >
<types>
<type name="Password" default="" inherits="Passw ord" regex=""
regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="Text" default="" inherits="Text" regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="DN" default="" inherits="DN" regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="DNs" default="" inherits="DNs" regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="Check" default="" inherits="Check " regex="" regexsample="">
<values />
</type>
<type name="lstCountr ies" default="" inherits="combo " regex=""
regexsample="">
<values>
<value key="US">
</value>
<value key="AD">
</value>
<value key="AE">
</value>
<value key="AF">
</value>
<value key="AG">
</value>
<value key="AI">
</value>
<value key="AL">
</value>
<value key="AM">
</value>
</values>
</type>
</design>
>
The lstCountries node is list of iso country codes but sometimes they are
not sorted alphabetically and sometimes I don't want them all to be
visible, so I'm writing an app to resolve these problems. BUT I'm failing
at the first hurdle because I can't see how to read the config file and
select JUST the lstCountries values, putting them into a CheckedListBox.
>
If the node was simply called <countriesthe n I can select it but because
it's <type name=".... I can't figure out how to select just that section
of the file.
>
I suppose I'll have the same problem with the <value="... elements as well
but if I can solve the first problem I should be OK with that one!
>
Can anyone give me some pointers? Or better still, is there any code
available? I've trawled everywhere with no success!
>
Thanks.
>
JB
>

[FishingScout]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'

John,

First your xml is poorly formed. It is missing the closing </types>
before the </designtag.

Next, to query the values node for the type whos name is "lstcountri es"
use the following:

xmldocument.Sel ectSingleNode(
"/design/types/type[@name='lstCount ries']/values")

or less specifically:

xmldocument.Sel ectSingleNode("//type[@name='lstCount ries']/values")

That will return the the values node.

However, it seems to me that you really want to get all the country
codes. To do that you should get a node array of all the country code
values. Use something like:

Dim CountryCodeValu eNodes As XmlNodeList =
xmldocument.Sel ectNodes("//type[@name='lstCount ries']/values/value")

For Each CountryCodeValu e as Node in CountryCodeValu eNodes
Dim CountryCode as String = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")
' do something with the country code ....
Next

[John Barleycorn]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'

Hi, and thank you, FishingScout

I have now created the following code:

Dim configurationFi le As New XmlDocument()

configurationFi le.Load("C:\tem p\webdir4\desig n2.xml")


Dim CountryCodeValu eNodes As XmlNodeList

CountryCodeValu eNodes =
configurationFi le.SelectNodes( "//type[@name='lstCount ries']/values/value")

Dim CountryCodeValu e As XmlNode

For Each CountryCodeValu e In CountryCodeValu eNodes

Dim CountryCode As String = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")

'do something with the country code ....

CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode)

Next

However, when I try to run the code I receive the error: "Value of type
'System.Xml.Xml Attribute' cannot be converted to 'String'." referring to the
line "Dim CountryCode As String = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")"

What should I be doing to get rid of this?

Thanks for your help! One day I will give VB the time it deserves to
actually learn the fundamentals.

JB




"FishingSco ut" <fishingscout@c omcast.netwrote in message
news:1162064444 .408677.229710@ k70g2000cwa.goo glegroups.com.. .

John,
>
First your xml is poorly formed. It is missing the closing </types>
before the </designtag.
>
Next, to query the values node for the type whos name is "lstcountri es"
use the following:
>
xmldocument.Sel ectSingleNode(
"/design/types/type[@name='lstCount ries']/values")
>
or less specifically:
>
xmldocument.Sel ectSingleNode("//type[@name='lstCount ries']/values")
>
That will return the the values node.
>
However, it seems to me that you really want to get all the country
codes. To do that you should get a node array of all the country code
values. Use something like:
>
Dim CountryCodeValu eNodes As XmlNodeList =
xmldocument.Sel ectNodes("//type[@name='lstCount ries']/values/value")
>
For Each CountryCodeValu e as Node in CountryCodeValu eNodes
Dim CountryCode as String = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")
' do something with the country code ....
Next
>

[John Barleycorn]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'

In fact, I'm obviously a muppet!

If I change the code to the following that error disappears:
Dim configurationFi le As New XmlDocument()

configurationFi le.Load("C:\tem p\config\design 2.xml")


Dim CountryCodeValu eNodes As XmlNodeList

CountryCodeValu eNodes =
configurationFi le.SelectNodes( "//type[@name='lstCount ry']/values/value")

Dim CountryCodeValu e As XmlNode

For Each CountryCodeValu e In CountryCodeValu eNodes

Dim CountryCode = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")

'do something with the country code ....

CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode)

Next

The problem is that now when I actually run the code the CheckedListBox is
filled with entries, all identical with the value 'System.Xml.Xml Attribute'
rather than US, AE.... etc

ANy ideas?



JB

[Norman Chong]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'


John Barleycorn schrieb:

For Each CountryCodeValu e In CountryCodeValu eNodes
>
Dim CountryCode = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")
>
'do something with the country code ....
>
CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode)
>
Next
>
The problem is that now when I actually run the code the CheckedListBox is
filled with entries, all identical with the value 'System.Xml.Xml Attribute'
rather than US, AE.... etc
>

Hi John,
The reason why this "works" is, that you late-bind the variable
CountryCode, that means that you don't specify a type (which is a bad
idea in this case). I assume your compiler is warning you to do this??
You have to use the type Xml.XmlNode for CountryCode.
Your problem is, that you try to add an Xml.XmlAttribut e Object to your
list - The object will be casted to a string and only the classname of
the object is shown ('System.Xml.Xm lAttribute'). To get this working
you have to change CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode) to
CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode.value)

Now my 2 cents: It seems that you really need some knowledge about the
basics, so I would recommend that you first learn them before
continuing - This will spare you a lot of pain ;-)

[Norman Chong]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'


Norman Chong schrieb:

The reason why this "works" is, that you late-bind the variable
CountryCode

Wrong word for this, sorry. This is no late-binding, it's just a
variable declaration without a type ;-)

[John Barleycorn]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'

Hi Norman

Of course you're right about starting somewhere else etc, but I always find
it best to dig deep and start a project based on real issues rather than
start from the beginning. Works for me - you may differ!

That aside, I now have a great piece of code that does exactly what I need
it to do for now. I'll certainly be following up a bit more on the basics
when I get a bit more time - thanks for your help!


"Norman Chong" <normanchong@fr eenet.dewrote in message
news:1162217352 .802494.174410@ b28g2000cwb.goo glegroups.com.. .

>
John Barleycorn schrieb:
>

>For Each CountryCodeValu e In CountryCodeValu eNodes
>>
>Dim CountryCode = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")
>>
>'do something with the country code ....
>>
>CheckedListBox 1.Items.Add(Cou ntryCode)
>>
>Next
>>
>The problem is that now when I actually run the code the CheckedListBox
>is
>filled with entries, all identical with the value
>'System.Xml.Xm lAttribute'
>rather than US, AE.... etc
>>

>
Hi John,
The reason why this "works" is, that you late-bind the variable
CountryCode, that means that you don't specify a type (which is a bad
idea in this case). I assume your compiler is warning you to do this??
You have to use the type Xml.XmlNode for CountryCode.
Your problem is, that you try to add an Xml.XmlAttribut e Object to your
list - The object will be casted to a string and only the classname of
the object is shown ('System.Xml.Xm lAttribute'). To get this working
you have to change CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode) to
CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode.value)
>
Now my 2 cents: It seems that you really need some knowledge about the
basics, so I would recommend that you first learn them before
continuing - This will spare you a lot of pain ;-)
>
>

[FishingScout]

Re: Selecting a single node in 'XML'

John,

I missed a bit of code. It should have read like this:

Dim CountryCode As String =
CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey").InnerTex t

Steve

John Barleycorn wrote:

Hi Norman
>
Of course you're right about starting somewhere else etc, but I always find
it best to dig deep and start a project based on real issues rather than
start from the beginning. Works for me - you may differ!
>
That aside, I now have a great piece of code that does exactly what I need
it to do for now. I'll certainly be following up a bit more on the basics
when I get a bit more time - thanks for your help!
>
>
"Norman Chong" <normanchong@fr eenet.dewrote in message
news:1162217352 .802494.174410@ b28g2000cwb.goo glegroups.com.. .

John Barleycorn schrieb:

For Each CountryCodeValu e In CountryCodeValu eNodes
>
Dim CountryCode = CountryCodeValu e.Attributes("k ey")
>
'do something with the country code ....
>
CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode)
>
Next
>
The problem is that now when I actually run the code the CheckedListBox
is
filled with entries, all identical with the value
'System.Xml.Xml Attribute'
rather than US, AE.... etc
>

Hi John,
The reason why this "works" is, that you late-bind the variable
CountryCode, that means that you don't specify a type (which is a bad
idea in this case). I assume your compiler is warning you to do this??
You have to use the type Xml.XmlNode for CountryCode.
Your problem is, that you try to add an Xml.XmlAttribut e Object to your
list - The object will be casted to a string and only the classname of
the object is shown ('System.Xml.Xm lAttribute'). To get this working
you have to change CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode) to
CheckedListBox1 .Items.Add(Coun tryCode.value)

Now my 2 cents: It seems that you really need some knowledge about the
basics, so I would recommend that you first learn them before
continuing - This will spare you a lot of pain ;-)