Parse XML file using C#

Question

I am new to XML. I need to parse this XML and read the values from the -Field- element and -name- attribute.

I need values from accountID, deviceID, odometerKM

Here is the XML:

<GTSResponse command="dbget" result="success">
    <Record table="EventDataView" partial="true">
        <Field name="accountID" primaryKey="true" alternateKeys="adtkey,driverkey">
            <![CDATA[salesdemo]]>
        </Field>
        <Field name="deviceID" primaryKey="true" alternateKeys="adtkey">
            <![CDATA[bubba_polaris]]>
        </Field>
        <Field name="timestamp" primaryKey="true" alternateKeys="adtkey,driverkey">1605919705</Field>
        <Field name="statusCode" primaryKey="true">0xF010</Field>
        <Field name="latitude">0.0</Field>
        <Field name="longitude">0.0</Field>
        <Field name="odometerKM">0.2566422</Field>
        <Field name="odometerOffsetKM">0.0</Field>
    </Record>
    <Record table="EventDataView" partial="true">
        <Field name="accountID" primaryKey="true" alternateKeys="adtkey,driverkey">
            <![CDATA[salesdemo]]>
        </Field>
        <Field name="deviceID" primaryKey="true" alternateKeys="adtkey">
            <![CDATA[bubba_polaris]]>
        </Field>
        <Field name="timestamp" primaryKey="true" alternateKeys="adtkey,driverkey">1605919705</Field>
        <Field name="statusCode" primaryKey="true">0xF010</Field>
        <Field name="latitude">0.0</Field>
        <Field name="longitude">0.0</Field>
        <Field name="odometerKM">0.23445323</Field>
        <Field name="odometerOffsetKM">0.0</Field>
    </Record>
</GTSResponse>

Here is the code I have tried:

XDocument doc = XDocument.Parse(receivedResponse);

Dictionary<string, string> dataDictionary = new Dictionary<string, string>();

foreach (XElement element in doc.Descendants().Where(p => p.HasElements == false))
{
    int keyInt = 0;
    string keyName = element.Name.LocalName;

    while (dataDictionary.ContainsKey(keyName))
    {
        keyName = element.Name.Namespace.ToString();

        keyName = element.Name.LocalName + "_" + keyInt++;
    }

    dataDictionary.Add(keyName, element.Value);
}

foreach (var x in dataDictionary)
{
    Console.WriteLine("keyName: " + x.Key + " value: " + x.Value);
}

When I run this, it loops through all of the -Field- elements but it does not use the -name-. I need to see the -name- so I know what value I have. I will be updating my database and need to loop through and update fields accordingly by name.

You need to replace elements to descendents From : .Elements("Field") To : .Descendants("Field") — jdweng
– jdweng, Commented Dec 17, 2020 at 10:13
What are you trying to do in the while loop? If you want to change value dataDictionary[keyName] = "new value"; — jdweng
– jdweng, Commented Dec 17, 2020 at 18:57
I am looping through all elements in the XML file. The XML that I posted was just for one Record. But there are multiple Record elements in the actual data... I dont understand what you have commented to change..... — Tdigges
– Tdigges, Commented Dec 17, 2020 at 21:54

Enigmativity · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-18 02:36:33Z

1

There's a Record element that you didn't navigate through.

Try this:

var values =
    doc
        .Root
        .Elements("Record")
        .SelectMany((x, n) => x.Elements("Field").Select(y => new { field = y, index = n }))
        .ToDictionary(
            x => $"{(string)x.field.Attribute("name")}_{x.index}",
            x => (string)x.field);

I get this from your sample data:

I think you're better off with this:

Dictionary<int, Dictionary<string, string>> values =
    doc
        .Root
        .Elements("Record")
        .Select((x, n) => (x, n))
        .ToDictionary(
            y => y.n,
            y => y.x
                .Elements("Field")
                .ToDictionary(
                    z => (string)z.Attribute("name"),
                    z => (string)z));

Then you get:

edited Dec 18, 2020 at 2:36

answered Dec 17, 2020 at 3:19

Enigmativity

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6 Comments

Tdigges Over a year ago

Hi Enigmativity - thanks for helping - here is the error now: System.ArgumentException: 'An item with the same key has already been added.'

Enigmativity Over a year ago

@Tdigges - That would be because there are multiple Record elements. It sounds like you need a Dictionary<string, Dictionary<string, string>>. Would that be right?

Tdigges Over a year ago

yes, I have found that to be true as well. I found code to loop through the Dictionary <string, string> but it does not use the -name- as the field. If you have any examples that would be appreciated.

Tdigges Over a year ago

Enigmativity - I updated my CODE above to include the Dictionary<string, string>. If you can assist in showing how to reference the dictionary by -name- I would appreciate.

Tdigges Over a year ago

how do you get that Dictionary View with the Key and Values to display?

|

jdweng · Accepted Answer · 2020-12-17 23:41:59Z

0

Try following :

using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Xml;
using System.Xml.Linq;
using System.IO;
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
    class Program
    {
        const string FILENAME = @"c:\temp\test.xml";
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            string receivedResponse = File.ReadAllText(FILENAME);
            
            XDocument doc = XDocument.Parse(receivedResponse);

            Dictionary<string, Dictionary<string, List<Field>>> dataDictionary = doc.Descendants("Record")
                .GroupBy(x => (string)x.Attribute("table"), y => y)
                .ToDictionary(x => x.Key, y => y.Elements("Field")
                    .GroupBy(a => (string)a.Attribute("name"), b => new Field(b))
                    .ToDictionary(a => a.Key, b => b.ToList()));
        }
    }
    public class Field
    {
        public string name { get; set; }
        public Boolean? primaryKey { get; set; }
        public string alternateKeys { get; set; }
        public string text { get; set; }

        public Field(XElement field)
        {
            name = (string)field.Attribute("Field");
            primaryKey = (field.Attribute("primaryKey") == null) ? null : (Boolean?)field.Attribute("primaryKey");
            alternateKeys = (field.Attribute("alternateKeys") == null) ? null : (string)field.Attribute("alternateKeys");
            text = (string)field;
        }
    }
 
}

answered Dec 17, 2020 at 23:41

jdweng

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2 Comments

Tdigges Over a year ago

awesome jdweng! That helped me out a lot....... I had make a couple changes to get the value to populate..........

Tdigges Over a year ago

public Field(XElement field) { name = (string)field.Attribute("name"); primaryKey = (field.Attribute("primaryKey") == null) ? null : (Boolean?)field.Attribute("primaryKey"); alternateKeys = (field.Attribute("alternateKeys") == null) ? null : (string)field.Attribute("alternateKeys"); text = field.Value; }

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