Cross-Browser Javascript XML Parsing

Question

Are there any cross-browser / cross-platform ways to parse XML files in Javascript?

look at stackoverflow.com/questions/649614/xml-parsing-in-javascript — Milan Jaric
– Milan Jaric, Commented Oct 31, 2011 at 3:35
Isnt' this a duplicate of stackoverflow.com/questions/649614/… ? — lucascaro
– lucascaro, Commented Nov 13, 2018 at 16:59
This question was the earliest request for a cross-platform XML parser, but it was closed for being off-topic as it asked for an off-site resource (just as this question was). — Graham
– Graham, Commented Nov 13, 2018 at 23:09

Liam · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-05 16:28:42Z

73

The following will work in all major browsers, including IE 6:

var parseXml;

if (typeof window.DOMParser != "undefined") {
    parseXml = function(xmlStr) {
        return ( new window.DOMParser() ).parseFromString(xmlStr, "text/xml");
    };
} else if (typeof window.ActiveXObject != "undefined" &&
       new window.ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")) {
    parseXml = function(xmlStr) {
        var xmlDoc = new window.ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
        xmlDoc.async = "false";
        xmlDoc.loadXML(xmlStr);
        return xmlDoc;
    };
} else {
    throw new Error("No XML parser found");
}

Example usage:

var xml = parseXml("<foo>Stuff</foo>");
alert(xml.documentElement.nodeName);

Live demo:

var parseXml;

if (typeof window.DOMParser != "undefined") {
    parseXml = function(xmlStr) {
        return ( new window.DOMParser() ).parseFromString(xmlStr, "text/xml");
    };
} else if (typeof window.ActiveXObject != "undefined" &&
       new window.ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")) {
    parseXml = function(xmlStr) {
        var xmlDoc = new window.ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
        xmlDoc.async = "false";
        xmlDoc.loadXML(xmlStr);
        return xmlDoc;
    };
} else {
    throw new Error("No XML parser found");
}

var xml = parseXml("<foo>Stuff</foo>");
document.body.innerHTML = "Root element: " + xml.documentElement.nodeName;

edited Dec 5, 2017 at 16:28

Liam

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answered Oct 31, 2011 at 9:38

Tim Down

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8 Comments

GotDibbs Over a year ago

This works, except in IE9 in standards mode. In IE9 standards mode to correct the issue, you just need to reform your initial if statement to be something like: if (window.DOMParser && typeof XMLDocument !== "undefined")

Tim Down Over a year ago

@GotDibbs: Really? The above example works fine for me in IE 9 standards.

GotDibbs Over a year ago

Yep. Not sure if there's some other setting getting in the way here, but the moment I go into the dev toolbar and switch the browser mode to IE9 and document mode to IE9 standards it bombs without that additional check.

Tim Down Over a year ago

@GotDibbs: I know it's been a while, but here's a jsFiddle that works fine for me in IE 9 standards mode: jsfiddle.net/3s7Ly/1

nhahtdh Over a year ago

@TimDown: If it is a working version, would you mind editing that into your answer?

|

Alexei Levenkov · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-03 18:00:38Z

7

Consider using jQuery.parseXML.

Note that old JQuery's code (pre 2.x) is essentially identical to one proposed in the accepted answer and can be found at http://code.jquery.com/jquery-1.9.1.js, partial version below:

// Cross-browser xml parsing
parseXML: function( data ) {
    ...
    try {
        if ( window.DOMParser ) { // Standard
            tmp = new DOMParser();
            xml = tmp.parseFromString( data , "text/xml" );
        } else { // IE
            xml = new ActiveXObject( "Microsoft.XMLDOM" );
            xml.async = "false";
            xml.loadXML( data );
        }
    } catch( e ) {
        xml = undefined;
    }
    ...
}

Starting JQuery 2.x code changed to skip ActiveX branch, if you still need it - use older version of JQuery or inline ActiveX parsing. Partial code from http://code.jquery.com/jquery-2.0.0.js:

// Cross-browser xml parsing
parseXML: function( data ) {
    var xml, tmp;
    .....
    // Support: IE9
    try {
        tmp = new DOMParser();
        xml = tmp.parseFromString( data , "text/xml" );
    } catch ( e ) {
        xml = undefined;
    }
    .....
},

edited Dec 3, 2017 at 18:00

answered Oct 31, 2011 at 4:53

Alexei Levenkov

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3 Comments

GotDibbs Over a year ago

jQuery.parseXml can be pretty slow. I would suggest looking at the post from @TimDown

zbstof Over a year ago

Maybe it was a year ago, but looking at the source code of jQuery (code.jquery.com/jquery-1.9.1.js), I fail to see the difference from the TimDown's answer (omitting some error-handling logic).

Alexei Levenkov Over a year ago

@Zotov I've inlined your comment (post was rightfully downvoted as link-only, and your comment looked worth inlining rather than deleting the post).

Janus Troelsen · Accepted Answer · 2015-01-08 15:23:52Z

4

If you need to parse large XML documents that you may not be able to completely hold in memory, consider using a SAX style parser like this one: https://github.com/isaacs/sax-js/

edited Jan 8, 2015 at 15:23

answered Sep 11, 2012 at 21:57

Janus Troelsen

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