Parsing XML with Applescript and referencing tag blocks based on xml attribute

Question

In Applescript, is there a way to only grab tag blocks based on tag attribute? For example, I only want to grab the tag blocks that have the attribute 'style' associated with them. (I included a shortened xml.)

shortened xml file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="no"?>
<templateDescription>
    <toolbars>
          <toolbarControls style="textToolbar">
          </toolbarControls>
          <toolbarControls style="textToolbar">
          </toolbarControls>
          <toolbarControls definition="image">
          </toolbarControls>
        </toolbars>
</templateDescription>


    set XMLFile to "Macintosh HD:Users:<user>:Desktop:templateDescription.xml"
        tell application "System Events"
            set toolbarControls to XML elements of XML element "toolbars" of XML element 1 of contents of XMLFile
            return every item of toolbarControls whose value of XML attribute "style" of XML element "toolbarControls" of XML element "toolbars" of XML element 1 of contents of XMLFile is "textToolbar"
        end tell

*new complication: So, I just realized that some xmls use comments and there's a known bug with system events where it can't correctly parse xml when there are comments. Is there a way to address this?

jackjr300 · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-23 04:47:11Z

1

Use a loop to grab tag blocks.

Like this:

set XMLFile to "Macintosh HD:Users:<user>:Desktop:templateDescription.xml"
set toolbarControls_textToolbar to {}
tell application "System Events"
    set toolbarControls to XML elements of XML element "toolbars" of XML element 1 of contents of XML file XMLFile
    repeat with xmlElem in toolbarControls
        try
            tell xmlElem to if value of XML attribute "style" is "textToolbar" then set end of toolbarControls_textToolbar to contents
        end try
    end repeat
end tell
return toolbarControls_textToolbar -- return every XML element whose value of XML attribute "style" is "textToolbar"

answered May 23, 2014 at 4:47

jackjr300

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