xml help using xpath string

Question

found the following code:

XmlDocument cfgDoc = new XmlDocument();
        loadConfigDoc(cfgDoc);
        // retrieve the appSettings node 
        node = cfgDoc.SelectSingleNode("//ETicketMailboxSettings");

        if (node == null)
        {
            throw new System.InvalidOperationException("appSettings section not found");
        }

        try
        {
            // XPath select setting "add" element that contains this key    
            XmlElement addElem = (XmlElement)node.SelectSingleNode("//add[@key='" + key + "']");
            if (addElem != null)
            {
                addElem.SetAttribute("value", value);
            }
            // not found, so we need to add the element, key and value
            else
            {
                XmlElement entry = cfgDoc.CreateElement("add");
                entry.SetAttribute("key", key);
                entry.SetAttribute("value", value);
                node.AppendChild(entry);
            }
            //save it
            saveConfigDoc(cfgDoc, docName);
            return true;
        }
        catch
        {
            return false;
        }

what do the double slashes tell the compiler?

.SelectSingleNode("//add[@key='"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath_1.0#Axis_specifiers

Wrikken
– Wrikken

2011-06-09 19:07:14 +00:00
Commented Jun 9, 2011 at 19:07 — Wrikken
– Wrikken, Commented Jun 9, 2011 at 19:07

Craig · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-09 19:15:20Z

2

To look anywhere in the XML document. This is an XML query language.

A single slash would look from the root of an XML document.

edited Jun 9, 2011 at 19:15

answered Jun 9, 2011 at 19:04

Craig

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3 Comments

Rod Over a year ago

thanks, does single slash mean anything, is this a c# or xml thing where i can look it up

Craig Over a year ago

This is an XML query language called xpath...have a look at the provided links.

Craig Over a year ago

@JackOfAllTrades & @BoltClock +1 for the links.

GolezTrol · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-09 19:05:55Z

2

Selects all nodes (in this case nodes named add with a specific attribute key) in the entire document.

A single slash means 'matching from the root of the document'.

answered Jun 9, 2011 at 19:05

GolezTrol

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