How to save XML element values to variables

Question

Part of my MVC app is a controller action method that POSTs data to a web service and receives an XML response. I have figured out how to get the response into an XDocument but now I need to go through the info and get some of the node values. I have been researching, and the closest option I can find it to use XPath.

I am wondering if this is the best way to go, or if you suggest another way. The XML I am working with will look something like:

<HistoryResponse>
  <ResponseType>resultsList</ResponseType>
  <Matches>0</Matches>
  <SessionID>75803234r23df3de</SessionID>
  <RecStart>0</RecStart>
  <ClientCode></ClientCode>
  <Results></Results>
</HistoryResponse>

I need to go through, grab the Matches and SessionID and put the values into variables.

Thanks.

L.B · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-12 19:45:45Z

1

You can convert your xml to dictionary

var xDoc = XDocument.Parse(xmlstring); //XDocument.Load(fileName)
var dict = xDoc.Element("HistoryResponse")
               .Elements()
               .ToDictionary(e => e.Name.LocalName, e => e.Value);

and use as

string sessionID = dict["SessionID"];

answered Dec 12, 2012 at 19:45

L.B

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4 Comments

BattlFrog Over a year ago

I like this idea, but I am getting a null exception error on the second part (var dictionary = blah blah) while running in debugger. Do I need to do somekind of IDictionary<??something> dict = new so on and so forth?

L.B Over a year ago

@teahou No you don't need anything special. I tested above code with the xml string you posted and it works. If you load your xml from file, don't forget to use XDocument.Load

NtscCobalt Over a year ago

If you are getting a null pointer it is because the top level element isn't named 'HistoryResponse'. Element(<Name>) returns null if it can't find the element. Elements() returns an empty enumeration if nothing matches and ToDictionary returns an empty Dictionary if the source is empty.

BattlFrog Over a year ago

Ntsc - Thanks, that was exactly it. And thank you all, I have it working now.

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:55:58Z

0

That would definitely work with an XPath expression. Check out how to use XPath with XDocument? for info on how to do it.

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:55

CommunityBot

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answered Dec 12, 2012 at 19:40

Peter

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Comments

Shyju · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-12 19:46:58Z

0

Use LINQtoXML. (you need to import the namespace System.XML.Linq)

string filePath = Server.MapPath(@"../YourFileLocation/somexml.xml");

//you can load the XML from file/stream /string etc...

XElement elem = XElement.Load(filePath);
if (elem != null)
{
   string sessionId=elem.Element("SessionID").Value;
   string matches=elem.Element("Matches").Value;
}

If you are getting the XML in a string, you can load that to your XElement using Parse method.

string xml = "<HistoryResponse><Item>XML Item A</Item></HistoryResponse>";
XElement elem = XElement.Parse(xml);

edited Dec 12, 2012 at 19:46

answered Dec 12, 2012 at 19:40

Shyju

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