selecting the VALUE of an XML element with XPathNavigation...

[darrel]

I've done a bit of transoforming XML in ASP.net by passing it to an XSL file
and returning the results.

I'm not trying to navigate an XML file and just return one value. I could
use XSL for this, but seems to be overkill to just return one value.

This is what I have thus far:

dim filename As String =
(MapPath("/usercontrols/navigation/siteStructure.xml"))
Dim xDoc As XPathDocument = New XPathDocument(filename)
Dim xNav1 as XPathNavigator = xDoc.CreateNavigator()
xNav1.Select("linkTitle")
dim strLinkTitle as String = xNav1.value

The problem is that xNav1.value returns the entire Node. I just want the
value of the element 'lnkTitle' as a string. I'm completely stumped as to
how to get that via asp.net.

-Darrel

 

[darrel]

I think I *can't* do this with xpathnavigator. Is that correct? Do I need to
use an XMLReader instead? If so, can I navigate with the navigator then
select the element with the reader?

-Darrel

 

[bruce barker]

an XPath returns a node or collection of nodes:

the following xml frag:

<a id="a1" b="d">hello</a>

if an XPath query returns the node "a", it will have two attribute children
nodes ("id" and "b")and a child text node ("hello"). you are probably
interested in the childs value not the parents.

-- bruce (sqlwork.com)

 

[darrel]

if an XPath query returns the node "a", it will have two attribute
children

nodes ("id" and "b")and a child text node ("hello"). you are probably
interested in the childs value not the parents.

ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Yes, you are absolutely right. Duh. I always forget that the value-of *is* a
child of the element.

Dang XML terminology!

OK, can I ask for a bit of help with the syntax?

I have this:

xNav1.Select("//linkTitle[parent::linkID = '" & intPageID & "']")

Which should find the linkTitle that has a parent that has a child of linkID
with the value of intPageID

Once I navigate to that, I want to grab the child text element of linkTitle.
So, I have this:

dim strLinkTitle as String = xNav1.MoveToFirstChild.ToString

But that returns a boolean true/false as opposed to the value.

I also tried changing the xpath query:

xNav1.Select("//linkTitle[parent::linkID = '" & intPageID &
"']/linkTitle")

but that, again, returns the entire node it seems.

my brain hurts.

 

[bruce barker]

MoveToFirstChild returns a boolean. you will need to find node, movetochild,
then get value from the navigator.

if an XPath query returns the node "a", it will have two attribute children
nodes ("id" and "b")and a child text node ("hello"). you are probably
interested in the childs value not the parents.

ARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Yes, you are absolutely right. Duh. I always forget that the value-of *is* a
child of the element.

Dang XML terminology!

OK, can I ask for a bit of help with the syntax?

I have this:

xNav1.Select("//linkTitle[parent::linkID = '" & intPageID & "']")

Which should find the linkTitle that has a parent that has a child of linkID
with the value of intPageID

Once I navigate to that, I want to grab the child text element of linkTitle.
So, I have this:

dim strLinkTitle as String = xNav1.MoveToFirstChild.ToString

But that returns a boolean true/false as opposed to the value.

I also tried changing the xpath query:

xNav1.Select("//linkTitle[parent::linkID = '" & intPageID &
"']/linkTitle")

but that, again, returns the entire node it seems.

my brain hurts.