C# MVC: How extract values from XML and pass to view

Question

I have a C# MVC application which I need to output the following data to a view:

            <versions>
              <product>true</product>
              <type>city</type>
              <factory name="Demme" url="http://test1.com" thumbnail="http://test3.com/img1" interval="10" />
              <factory name="Vollick" url="http://test2.com" thumbnail="http://test3.com/img1" interval="10" />
              <factory name="Tony" url="http://test3.com" thumbnail="http://test3.com/img1" interval="10" />
            </versions>

The above data comes from a SQL table/column which stores the data as a XML data type. Can somone give me a code example to extract the values of the elements(maybe assign each value to variable) so I can pass it to a view?

So I need to get the values "true" , "City", "Demme" , "http://test1.com", "http://test3.com/img1....and so on.

Whats the best way to present this data to a view?

Do you have a specific problem with parsing this xml or have you not even tried learning how to do it? whathaveyoutried.com — JeremyWeir
– JeremyWeir, Commented Jul 1, 2012 at 4:59
You can't extract values from XML in C#. It's impossible. You need to use C or Java :) PS: Have you tried anything yet? Do you have any code you can show? Did "C# XML" turn up zero hits on Google??? — paulsm4
– paulsm4, Commented Jul 1, 2012 at 5:01
is this a different question from your other one with the same data structure? — Michael Edenfield
– Michael Edenfield, Commented Jul 1, 2012 at 5:04
possible duplicate of C#: How to extract data from SQL XML data type field and assign to enums — Michael Edenfield
– Michael Edenfield, Commented Jul 1, 2012 at 5:05

Alan Ball · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-10 08:40:21Z

1

My idea is to create classes, corresponding to your Xml file, a Version class, a Factory class. Load the xml file, and then pass it to your class that return your data, here is how I do it :

The Version class :

public class Version
{
    public bool IsProduct { get; set; }
    public string City { get; set; }
    public List<Factory> Factories { get; set; }

    //Create a version
    public Version(XElement xVersion)
    {
        IsProduct = Convert.ToBoolean(xVersion.Element("Product").Value);
        City = xVersion.Element("City").Value;
        Factories = Factory.GetFactories(xVersion);
    }

    //Get the list of versions
    public static List<Version> GetVersions(XElement xDocument)
    {
        if (xDocument == null)
            return null;

        List<Version> list = new List<Version>();
        var xVersions = xDocument.Elements("Version");

        foreach (var xVersion in xVersions)
        {
            list.Add(new Version(xVersion));
        }

        return list;
    }
}

The Factory class :

public class Factory
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Url { get; set; }
    public string Thumbnail { get; set; }
    public string Interval { get; set; }

    //Create a factory
    public Factory(XElement xFactory)
    {
        Name = xFactory.Attribute("Name").Value;
        Url = xFactory.Attribute("Url").Value;
        Thumbnail = xFactory.Attribute("Thumbnail").Value;
        Interval = xFactory.Attribute("Interval").Value;
    }

    //Get the factories of a version
    public static List<Factory> GetFactories(XElement xVersion)
    {
        var xFactories = xVersion.Elements("Factory");
        if (xFactories == null)
            return null;

        List<Factory> list = new List<Factory>();

        foreach (var xFactory in xFactories)
        {
            list.Add(new Factory(xFactory));
        }

        return list;
    }
}

And last, in your MCV Controller :

private void myMethod()
    {
        var xDocument = XElement.Load("XmlFilePath");
        var versions = Version.GetVersions(xDocument);

        //And then, pass the -versions- to your typed view ^^
    }

edited Jan 10, 2017 at 8:40

Alan Ball

5938 silver badges17 bronze badges

answered Jul 1, 2012 at 8:26

SidAhmed

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5 Comments

user1204195 Over a year ago

Thanks for you help. I appreciate it. Implementing this now

user1204195 Over a year ago

I am almost there but one problem. The XML data is coming from a SQL database and not a file so XElement.Load("XmlFilePath"); throws and error "Illegal Characters in path.

user1204195 Over a year ago

I used XElement.Parse instead of XElement.Load and I am no longer getting an error. Let me see if this works now.

user1204195 Over a year ago

I debugged my program and I can actually see the data in thexdocument passed to Getversion();however var xVersions = xDocument.Elements("Version") is null

SidAhmed Over a year ago

Does your Xml file contain only one element "Versions" ? if so, use xDocument.Element("Versions") instead. An other thing, be sure of the element name("Versions" or "Version"), this is why the data is null I think

Ashwin Singh · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-01 05:14:45Z

0

using System.Xml;
    List<string> values= new List<string>();    
    XmlTextReader reader = new XmlTextReader ("books.xml");
    while (reader.Read()) 
    {
           switch (reader.NodeType) 
           {
                   while (reader.MoveToNextAttribute()) // Read the attributes.
                     values.add(reader.Value);
                   break;
         case XmlNodeType.Text: //Display the text in each element.
                     values.add(reader.Value);
                   break;
         case XmlNodeType. EndElement: //Display the end of the element.
          Console.WriteLine(">");
                   break;
           }
       }

Now you have a list of values. Assign it to the model and then use the model to populate the view.

edited Jul 1, 2012 at 5:14

answered Jul 1, 2012 at 4:58

Ashwin Singh

7,3855 gold badges38 silver badges55 bronze badges

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