Change XML content using JavaScript, missing refresh

Question

I manage to show XML using -

wxml = window.open("my_template.xml", "my_xml" );

I manage to change the DOM using -

xDoc = wxml.document;
xNodes = xExDoc.getElementsByTagName("myNodeName");  
xValue = xNodes[i].getElementsByTagName("value")[0];
xValue.firstChild.nodeValue = nodeNewVal;

But I do not manage to see the new DOM values on the screen.

How can I force "Refresh screen by DOM" ?

Note: reload() would not help, because it loads the original page, and I want to see the page with the DOM changes.

Edit - the code I use:

XML file (my_template.xml):

<myXmlRoot>
<device>
  <input><name>"name 1"</name><value>{replaceMe!}</value></input>
  <input><name>"name 2"</name><value>{replaceMe!}</value></input>  
</device>
<device>
  <input><name>"name 1"</name><value>{replaceMe!}</value></input>
  <input><name>"name 2"</name><value>{replaceMe!}</value></input>  
</device>
<device>
  <input><name>"name 1"</name><value>{replaceMe!}</value></input>
  <input><name>"name 2"</name><value>{replaceMe!}</value></input>  
</device>
</myXmlRoot>

HTML file:

<html>
<head>
<title>Open XML in External Window</title>
</head>
<body>

<button onClick="fShowXmlInExternalWin()">Show XML </button> (does not show the updated version on the screen)

<script type="text/javascript" >

var wxml;
var xDoc;
var xDevices, xInputs;
var xDevice, xInput;

    function fSetXmlAInput(iDevice, iNode, nodeNewVal) {
      xInput = xInputs[iNode];
      xValue = xInput.getElementsByTagName("value")[0];

      // change node value:
      // console.log("nodeVal: " + xValue.firstChild.nodeValue);
      xValue.firstChild.nodeValue = nodeNewVal;
      // console.log("newVal: " + xValue.firstChild.nodeValue);
    }

    function fSetXmlDevice(iDevice) {
      xDevice = xDevices[iDevice];
      xInputs = xDevice.getElementsByTagName("input");
        fSetXmlAInput(iDevice, 0, "22");
        fSetXmlAInput(iDevice, 1, "33");
    }

    function fShowXmlInExternalWin() {
      wxml = window.open("my_template.xml", "my_xml" );
      xDoc = wxml.document;
      xDevices = xDoc.getElementsByTagName("device");
      fSetXmlDevice(1);
      return false;
    }

</script>

</body>
</html>

I would expect the "XML view" of a browser isn't interactive like the "HTML view". You may have to display the XML in HTML and a <pre /> area. — metadings
– metadings, Commented May 8, 2013 at 12:25

Μenelaοs · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-09 11:27:52Z

1

On first view you have the following error:

Timestamp: 6/5/2013 2:32:11 μμ
Error: ReferenceError: xExDoc is not defined

I don't see xExDoc defined somewhere in your code...I only see xDoc.

Update:

In addition, your i variable is not defined causing another error. Also, you should use firebug to debug the code step by step or as a minimum add

alert(xNodes.length);

in order to check how many tags are found.

Update 2: (includes solution)

I've found two possible options:

Use a window.open with data:text/xml to render the modified XML directly.
Use appendChild and removeChild to force a significant change to the XML DOM and the browser to referesh the page.

Option 1 keeps XML browser formatting intact while option 2 causes the browser to view the XML as not xml content any more and the formatting is lost.

Code is below:

<html>
<head>
<title>Open XML in External Window</title>
</head>
<body>

<button onClick="fShowXmlInExternalWin()">Show XML </button> (shows updated on the screen but loses XML formatting)<br/>
<button onClick="alternativeLoadXML()">Alternative Show XML </button> (shows updated XML, as XML is loaded - changed, and XML is rendered)<br/>
<button onClick="alternativeLoadXML2()">Alternative Show XML 2  </button> (open window with original XML, change XML model, reload window)<br/>

<script type="text/javascript" >

var wxml;
var xDoc;
var xDevices, xInputs;
var xDevice, xInput;

    function fSetXmlAInput(iDevice, iNode, nodeNewVal) {
      xInput = xInputs[iNode];
      xValue = xInput.getElementsByTagName("value")[0];

      // change node value:
      // console.log("nodeVal: " + xValue.firstChild.nodeValue);
      xValue.firstChild.nodeValue = nodeNewVal;
      // console.log("newVal: " + xValue.firstChild.nodeValue);
    }

    function fSetXmlDevice(iDevice) {
      xDevice = xDevices[iDevice];
      xInputs = xDevice.getElementsByTagName("input");
        fSetXmlAInput(iDevice, 0, "22");
        fSetXmlAInput(iDevice, 1, "33");
    }

    function fShowXmlInExternalWin() {
      wxml = window.open("my_template.xml", "my_xml" );
      //Delay 500ms for window to load first
      window.setTimeout("triggerWindow()",500);
      return false;
    }

    //Further options Below 

    //First option, trigger refresh with append and remove - loses formatting

    function triggerWindow()
    {
        xDoc = wxml.document;
        xDevices = xDoc.getElementsByTagName("device");
        fSetXmlDevice(1);

        //Add and remove element to trigger referesh
        var p = document.createElement("test");
        xDoc.firstChild.appendChild(p);
        xDoc.firstChild.removeChild(p);
    }

    function alternativeLoadXML()
    {
        // load xml file
        if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {
           xhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
        } else {    // IE 5/6
           xhttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
        }

        xhttp.open("GET", "my_template.xml", false);
        xhttp.send();

        xDoc = xhttp.responseXML; 
        xDevices = xDoc.getElementsByTagName("device");
        fSetXmlDevice(1);

        var xmlText = new XMLSerializer().serializeToString(xDoc);      
        window.open('data:text/xml,' +  xmlText);
    }


    //Second option, open window, change XML, reload window with custom xml address

    function triggerWindow2()
    {
        xDoc = wxml.document;
        xDevices = xDoc.getElementsByTagName("device");
        fSetXmlDevice(1);

        var xmlText = new XMLSerializer().serializeToString(xDoc);      
        window.open('data:text/xml,' +  xmlText, "my_xml");
    }

    function alternativeLoadXML2()
    {
        wxml = window.open("my_template.xml", "my_xml" );
        //Delay 500ms for window to load first
        window.setTimeout("triggerWindow2()",500);
    }   

</script>

</body>
</html>

Update 3:

Using document.open and document.write on the new window works in IE to output the correct XML but the XML rendering is off - seems to render the content as HTML...

function alternativeLoadXML3() {
        // load xml file
        if (window.XMLHttpRequest) {
            xhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
        } else { // IE 5/6
            xhttp = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
        }

        xhttp.open("GET", "my_template.xml", false);
        xhttp.send();

        xDoc = xhttp.responseXML;
        xDevices = xDoc.getElementsByTagName("device");
        fSetXmlDevice(1);

        var xmlText = serializeXmlNode(xDoc);

        var newWindow = window.open("my_template.xml", "Test", "width=300,height=300,scrollbars=1,resizable=1");
        newWindow.document.open();
        newWindow.document.write(xmlText);
        newWindow.document.close()
    };

edited May 9, 2013 at 11:27

answered May 6, 2013 at 11:34

Μenelaοs

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7 Comments

Smile Over a year ago

you're right. I think @Atara had by mistake written xExDoc instead of xDoc. Because @Atara is fetching myNodeName on opened document through xDoc = wxml.document.

Atara Over a year ago

This is not the full code. In the full code I have no grammer errors, I will try to upload a small sample with whole the code

Μenelaοs Over a year ago

@Atara I updated my answer with code, that allows you to re-render the XML and make any changes you want.

Atara Over a year ago

@meewoK, Thanks. Option 2+3 are not acceptable by the client because InternetExplorer does not support DATA URI. I will try investigate option1.

Atara Over a year ago

@meewoK, I cannot use serverside in this project. and I found out that writing\changing XML documnt revert it to HTML document. I might end up with writing my XML inside DIV or TEXTAREA

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