How to Get XML Node from XDOcument

Question

Hi,

How to Get an XML Element from XDocument using LINQ ?

Suppose I have an XDocument Named XMLDoc which is shown below:

<Contacts>
       <Node>
           <ID>123</ID>
           <Name>ABC</Name>
       </Node>
       <Node>
           <ID>124</ID>
           <Name>DEF</Name>
       </Node>
</Contacts>

XElement Contacts = from xml2 in XMLDoc.Elements("Contacts").Elements("Node")
                    where xml2.Element("ID").Value == variable
                    select xml2;

But I am getting Error "Object Reference is NOT to set....."

How to get a particular Node from a XML file using LINQ ? And I want to update some values in that node ?

How it is possible ????

Thanks in advance.........

Answer 1

The .Elements operation returns a LIST of XElements - but what you really want is a SINGLE element. Add this:

XElement Contacts = (from xml2 in XMLDoc.Elements("Contacts").Elements("Node")
                    where xml2.Element("ID").Value == variable
                    select xml2).FirstOrDefault();

This way, you tell LINQ to give you the first (or NULL, if none are there) from that LIST of XElements you're selecting.

Marc

Answer 2

Hi, Thanks for the response. But I am still getting the error....... Through this query, how can I add new nodes, update and delete a node in the XDocument ????

Answer 3

Response to additional question posted by OP.

test.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Contacts>
  <Node>
    <ID>123</ID>
    <Name>ABC</Name>
  </Node>
  <Node>
    <ID>124</ID>
    <Name>DEF</Name>
  </Node>
</Contacts>

Select a single node:

XDocument XMLDoc = XDocument.Load("test.xml");
string id = "123"; // id to be selected

XElement Contact = (from xml2 in XMLDoc.Descendants("Node")
                    where xml2.Element("ID").Value == id
                    select xml2).FirstOrDefault();

Console.WriteLine(Contact.ToString());

Delete a single node:

XDocument XMLDoc = XDocument.Load("test.xml");
string id = "123";

var Contact = (from xml2 in XMLDoc.Descendants("Node")
               where xml2.Element("ID").Value == id
               select xml2).FirstOrDefault();

Contact.Remove();
XMLDoc.Save("test.xml");

Add new node:

XDocument XMLDoc = XDocument.Load("test.xml");

XElement newNode = new XElement("Node",
    new XElement("ID", "500"),
    new XElement("Name", "Whatever")
);

XMLDoc.Element("Contacts").Add(newNode);
XMLDoc.Save("test.xml");

There's also a very nice tutorial to parsing XMLs here. Hope it helps.