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How to convert many-to-one XML data to DataSet?

Answer 1

+1 A:

You're going to have to transform your data in order to use it the way you want. As you've seen, you have a bad structure.

I suggest that you create an empty dataset in Visual Studio (from Add->New Item), then set it to look the way you'd like it to look. Write some code to add a little test data, then write it to a file using DataSet.WriteXml. That will show you what your proposed structure would look like.

I then recommend that you use LINQ to XML to transform your input XML into the new format.

Here's an example of using LINQ to XML to transform your data:

public static void TransformIt(TextWriter output)
{
    var inputDocument = XDocument.Parse(INPUT_XML);
    if (inputDocument.Root == null)
    {
        return;
    }

    var doc = new XDocument(
        new XElement(
            "responses",
            from response in inputDocument.Root.Elements()
            select new XElement(
                "response",
                from lv in GetResponseLabels(response)
                select MakeResponse(lv.Label, lv.Value))));

    var settings = new XmlWriterSettings
    {
        Encoding = Encoding.UTF8,
        Indent = true,
    };
    using (var writer = XmlWriter.Create(output, settings))
    {
        if (writer == null)
        {
            return;
        }

        doc.WriteTo(writer);
    }
}

private static XElement MakeResponse(string label, string value)
{
    var trimmedLabel = label.Replace(" ", String.Empty).Replace("?", String.Empty);
    return new XElement(trimmedLabel, value);
}

private static IEnumerable<LabelAndValue> GetResponseLabels(XContainer response)
{
    var fieldsElement = response.Element("fields");
    if (fieldsElement == null)
    {
        return null;
    }

    return from field in fieldsElement.Elements("field")
           let valueElement = field.Element("value")
           let labelElement = field.Element("label")
           select new LabelAndValue
           {
               Label = labelElement == null ? "Unknown" : labelElement.Value,
               Value = valueElement == null ? null : valueElement.Value
           };
}

private struct LabelAndValue
{
    public string Label { get; set; }
    public string Value { get; set; }
}

John Saunders 2010-05-19 19:47:28

Answer 2

A:

I would iterate through the XML and depending on how you iterate (Linq is most flexible), create a new object(datatable, for instance) with your data described in the way you need.

TheGeekYouNeed 2010-05-19 19:50:34

Answer 3

A:

I ended up changing the approach a bit and did this (pivots):

DataRow dr = dt.NewRow();

//TRANSFORM RESPONSE LABELS INTO COLUMNS
foreach (XmlNode fieldNode in currentXml.SelectNodes("response/fields/field"))
{
    string label = fieldNode.SelectSingleNode("label").InnerText ?? "Unknown";
    string value = fieldNode.SelectSingleNode("value").InnerText;
    //CHECK IF ARBITRARY LABEL WAS ADDED BEFORE
    if (!dt.Columns.Contains(label))
    {
        //CREATE COLUMN FOR NEW LABEL
        dt.Columns.Add(label);
    }
    dr[label] = value;
}
dt.Rows.Add(dr);
}
ds.Tables.Add(dt);

TruMan1 2010-05-19 21:49:42

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How to convert many-to-one XML data to DataSet?

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