Get xml node value as string C#

Question

I've been trying to pull the value of the XML node into a string. Here is what the XML looks like:

<currentvin value="1FTWW31R08EB18119" />

I can't seem to figure out how to grab that value. I didn't write this XML, by the way. So far I have tried several approaches, including the following:

    public void xmlParse(string filePath)
    {
        XmlDocument xml = new XmlDocument();
        xml.Load(filePath);
        XmlNode currentVin = xml.SelectSingleNode("/currentvin");
        string xmlVin = currentVin.Value;
        Console.WriteLine(xmlVin);          
    }

Which doesn't work. I then tried:

    public void xmlParse(string filePath)
    {
        XmlDocument xml = new XmlDocument();
        xml.Load(filePath);
        string xmlVin = xml.SelectSingleNode("/currentvin").Value;
        Console.WriteLine(xmlVin);

    }

But that doesn't work either. I am getting a null reference exception stating that Object reference not set to an instance of an object. Any ideas?

Unfortunately, the XML document is proprietary, such that I cannot post the full content. Thanks for all your help! Great suggestions from everyone. I'll be escalating this to others in my department, since it looks like we'll have to solve it in house. :) — admiral142
– admiral142, Commented Oct 6, 2011 at 17:04

Anas Karkoukli · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-05 21:13:39Z

4

I think you're confusing the Value property of the XmlNode class, with an XML attribute named "value".

value is an attribute in your xml so either modify your xpath query to be

xml.SelectSingleNode("/currentvin/@value").Value

Or user the Attributes collection of the selected XmlNode.

answered Oct 5, 2011 at 21:13

Anas Karkoukli

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2 Comments

admiral142 Over a year ago

I believe it is the attribute that I'm looking for. Sadly, this code did not help me. I'm still getting the null reference exception.

Anas Karkoukli Over a year ago

Is this all you have in your XML file, only one node? Are you sure you actually are loading the XML document? Last best is that your XPATH query is not correct.

BrokenGlass · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-05 21:12:10Z

1

You are looking for the value of the attribute "value" (that's a handful) not the value of the node itself - so you have to use the Attribute property:

string xmlVin = xml.SelectSingleNode("/currentvin").Attributes["value"].Value;

Or in the first version:

XmlNode currentVin = xml.SelectSingleNode("/currentvin");
string xmlVin = currentVin.Attributes["value"].Value;

answered Oct 5, 2011 at 21:12

BrokenGlass

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2 Comments

admiral142 Over a year ago

These sure look like what I'm trying to get, but they did not work. I'm still getting a null reference exception.

BrokenGlass Over a year ago

@admiral142: Please post your full XML - if you don't even get the node you might query for it the wrong way (i.e. wrong path or your XML might use a namespace)

Sergii Kudriavtsev · Accepted Answer · 2011-10-05 21:15:13Z

0

If your entire XML contains only this node then it could be xml.DocumentElement.Attributes["value"].Value;

answered Oct 5, 2011 at 21:15

Sergii Kudriavtsev

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2 Comments

admiral142 Over a year ago

There are actually several nodes in the XML, I'm just trying to get the value of the attribute "value" in the currentvin node. :P

Sergii Kudriavtsev Over a year ago

Could you provide a full XML file example then?

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