How to remove all namespaces from XML with C#?

Question

I am looking for the clean, elegant and smart solution to remove namespacees from all XML elements? How would function to do that look like?

Defined interface:

public interface IXMLUtils
{
        string RemoveAllNamespaces(string xmlDocument);
}

Sample XML to remove NS from:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<ArrayOfInserts xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"&gt;
  <insert>
    <offer xmlns="http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types"&gt;0174587&lt;/offer&gt;
    <type2 xmlns="http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types"&gt;014717&lt;/type2&gt;
    <supplier xmlns="http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types"&gt;019172&lt;/supplier&gt;
    <id_frame xmlns="http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types" />
    <type3 xmlns="http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types"&gt;
      <type2 />
      <main>false</main>
    </type3>
    <status xmlns="http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types"&gt;Some state</status>
  </insert>
</ArrayOfInserts>

After we call RemoveAllNamespaces(xmlWithLotOfNs), we should get:

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
    <ArrayOfInserts>
      <insert>
        <offer >0174587</offer>
        <type2 >014717</type2>
        <supplier >019172</supplier>
        <id_frame  />
        <type3 >
          <type2 />
          <main>false</main>
        </type3>
        <status >Some state</status>
      </insert>
    </ArrayOfInserts>

Preffered language of solution is C# on .NET 3.5 SP1.

Answer 1

What are you trying to accomplish? I've never seen a case where removing namespaces was "smart".

The namespace+local name is the identify of the element or attribute. Removing the namespace would remove half the identity. You may have the first example I've seen where this is a good idea, but if so, please tell me why it makes sense.

Answer 2

Search for the string

xmlns=

using String.IndexOf. This is the start point of your delete.

Find the second quote using String.IndexOf. This is the end point of your delete.

Delete the text, using the String.Remove function

String.Remove(StartPoint, EndPoint-StartPoint)

Rinse and repeat.

Answer 3

Regular Expressions to the rescue!!!

string XMLPattern = "xmlns=\\\".+\\\"";
Regex regXML = new Regex(pattern);

string XMLInput = FancyMethodThatPutsXMLIntoString();
string Results = regXML.Replace(XMLInput, "");

Note: The triple slashes serve to escape the escaping of the quotes for your regex formula. Technically the formula is xmlns=\".+\"

Answer 4

the obligatory answer using LINQ:

static XElement stripNS(XElement root) {
    return new XElement(
        root.Name.LocalName,
        root.HasElements ? 
            root.Elements().Select(el => stripNS(el)) :
            (object)root.Value
    );
}
static void Main() {
    var xml = XElement.Parse(@"<?xml version=""1.0"" encoding=""utf-16""?>
    <ArrayOfInserts xmlns:xsi=""http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"" xmlns:xsd=""http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema""&gt;
      <insert>
        <offer xmlns=""http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types""&gt;0174587&lt;/offer&gt;
        <type2 xmlns=""http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types""&gt;014717&lt;/type2&gt;
        <supplier xmlns=""http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types""&gt;019172&lt;/supplier&gt;
        <id_frame xmlns=""http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types"" />
        <type3 xmlns=""http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types""&gt;
          <type2 />
          <main>false</main>
        </type3>
        <status xmlns=""http://schema.peters.com/doc_353/1/Types""&gt;Some state</status>
      </insert>
    </ArrayOfInserts>");
    Console.WriteLine(stripNS(xml));
}

Answer 5

The obligatory answer using XSLT:

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform"&gt;
  <xsl:output method="xml" indent="no" encoding="UTF-8"/>

  <xsl:template match="/|comment()|processing-instruction()">
    <xsl:copy>
      <xsl:apply-templates/>
    </xsl:copy>
  </xsl:template>

  <xsl:template match="*">
    <xsl:element name="{local-name()}">
      <xsl:apply-templates select="@*|node()"/>
    </xsl:element>
  </xsl:template>

  <xsl:template match="@*">
    <xsl:attribute name="{local-name()}">
      <xsl:value-of select="."/>
    </xsl:attribute>
  </xsl:template>

</xsl:stylesheet>

Answer 6

Well, here is the final answer. I have used great Jimmy idea (which unfortunately is not complete itself) and complete recursion function to work properly.

Based on interface:

string RemoveAllNamespaces(string xmlDocument);

I represent here final clean and universal C# solution for removing XML namespaces:

//Implemented based on interface, not part of algorithm
public static string RemoveAllNamespaces(string xmlDocument)
{
    XElement xmlDocumentWithoutNs = RemoveAllNamespaces(XElement.Parse(xmlDocument));

    return xmlDocumentWithoutNs.ToString();
}

//Core recursion function
private static XElement RemoveAllNamespaces(XElement xmlDocument)
{
    if (!xmlDocument.HasElements)
    {
        XElement xElement = new XElement(xmlDocument.Name.LocalName);
        xElement.Value = xmlDocument.Value;
        return xElement;
    }
    return new XElement(xmlDocument.Name.LocalName, xmlDocument.Elements().Select(el => RemoveAllNamespaces(el)));
}

It's working 100%, but I have not tested it much so it may not cover some special cases ... But it is good base to start.

Answer 7

The reply's by Jimmy and Peter were a great help, but they actually removed all attributes, so I made a slight modification:

Imports System.Runtime.CompilerServices

Friend Module XElementExtensions

    <Extension()> _
    Public Function RemoveAllNamespaces(ByVal element As XElement) As XElement
        If element.HasElements Then
            Dim cleanElement = RemoveAllNamespaces(New XElement(element.Name.LocalName, element.Attributes))
            cleanElement.Add(element.Elements.Select(Function(el) RemoveAllNamespaces(el)))
            Return cleanElement
        Else
            Dim allAttributesExceptNamespaces = element.Attributes.Where(Function(attr) Not attr.IsNamespaceDeclaration)
            element.ReplaceAttributes(allAttributesExceptNamespaces)
            Return element
        End If

    End Function

End Module