how to convert an XML into an array in asp.net

Question

Hello All,

i need to convert an XML into an array using asp.net.

I tried searching on the web but couldn't find the proper solution.

Can someone please help me with this

Thanks,
Alloi

Answer 1

Alloi - i think that due to the complexity inherent in xml structures, this will very much depend on the xml itself. what i'm saying is that a generic solution may be very difficult to make bomb proof, whereas a solution to a 'known' structure may be fairly straightfwd. the serialiser may allow you to save it to ToList() or similar but beyond that, it's a case of horses for sources i think. :)

jim

[edit] - link that may be useful: http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/chauhan_sonu57/SerializingObjects07202006065806AM/SerializingObjects.aspx

also - a nice little link showing how to convert xml->json in c# : http://www.phdcc.com/xml2json.htm

Answer 2

If you have an XSD to which the XML refers to, that probably can be a starting point on the implementation of array (or list).

Answer 3

A way... might help you

1. Read xml into dataset.
2. Iterate dataset on the basis of table rows and add each row entity to a list.
3. display list as array or list itself.

Answer 4

I don't know if there is a .net class that performs this action directly or not but in case there is no you have 2 options :

1 . Load XML into dataset then loop in the dataset and set elements of the array.

2 . Get XML nodes number then loop through XML and read each node element then put it in the array.

Hope that this is useful

Answer 5

I think LinqToXML might be helpful in your situation. Here's a sample in vb.net (I could not find anything in csharp...): http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vbasic/bb738047.aspx#convnodesarray

Answer 6

I find LinqToXML helpful in these circumstances. I have a very simple XML document:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<People>
  <Person>
    <id>1</id>
    <name>Dave</name>
  </Person>
  <Person>
    <id>2</id>
    <name>Pete</name>
  </Person>
  <Person>
    <id>3</id>
    <name>Marie</name>
  </Person>
</People>

And the following code that will turn it into an array of objects:

FileStream file = new FileStream("data.xml", FileMode.Open);

XDocument xmldoc = XDocument.Load(file);

var people = (from p in xmldoc.Descendants("Person") 
              select new 
              { 
              ID = p.Element("id").Value, 
              Name = p.Element("name").Value 
              }).ToArray();

foreach (var person in people)
{
    Console.WriteLine(person.Name);
}