How can I catch if an xml node does not exist in xml using linq to xml in c#?

Question

My problem is that in data of my xml sometimes a specific node does not exists how can I catch that to avoid "Object reference not set to an instance of an object." error and just skip that value and continue adding items in listview?

Here is the query of my linq to xml

var summary = from r in doc.Descendants("TrxDetailCard") 
                      select new 
                      {
                          Account_Type = r.Element("Account_Type_CH").Value,
                          Captured = r.Element("Captured").Value,
                          Trans_Type_ID = r.Element("Trans_Type_ID").Value,
                          Acct_Num_CH = r.Element("Acct_Num_CH").Value,
                          Tip_Amt_MN = r.Element("Tip_Amt_MN").Value,
                          Total_Amt_MN = r.Element("Total_Amt_MN").Value,
                          Date_DT = r.Element("Date_DT").Value,
                      };

The Tip_Amt_MN sometimes does not exists

Add items in listview

foreach (var i in summary)
        {
            ListViewItem it = new ListViewItem(i.Account_Type.ToString());
            it.SubItems.Add(i.Captured.ToString());
            it.SubItems.Add(i.Trans_Type_ID.ToString());
            it.SubItems.Add(i.Acct_Num_CH.ToString());
            it.SubItems.Add(i.Tip_Amt_MN.ToString());
            it.SubItems.Add(i.Total_Amt_MN.ToString());
            it.SubItems.Add(i.Date_DT.ToString());
            listView1.Items.Add(it);
        }

McGarnagle · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-23 23:38:43Z

1

If you don't mind the property being set to null, then you can cast the XElement to string. In other words, this won't throw an exception if the Account_Type_CH element doesn't exist:

Account_Type = (string)r.Element("Account_Type_CH")

answered Dec 23, 2012 at 23:38

McGarnagle

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1 Comment

McGarnagle Over a year ago

@GrayFullBuster casting to string gets the inner content of the node -- same as .Value, but it won't throw.

Cory Nelson · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-23 23:42:55Z

1

I tend to make liberal use of FirstOrDefault() in situations where I don't want to break a query up:

r.Element("Tip_Amt_MN").Value

becomes:

r.Elements("Tip_Amt_MN").Select(x => x.Value).FirstOrDefault()

answered Dec 23, 2012 at 23:42

Cory Nelson

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