Hi All,

I am trying to read an XML file, but cannot make my program identify the contents of the xml-element. I have made the script below to create a simple xml-file describing my problem. The resulting file looks as follows:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Supplier>
<SupplierID>123456</SupplierID>
<Name>Customer Named XXX</Name>
<Address>Address YYY</Address>
</Supplier>


The file was generated by the following sample function:

function create.xml.document( domain tcsuno i.suno,
domain tcnama i.nama,
domain tcnamc i.namc)
{
BaanDocId = xmlNewNode("Supplier") |* , XML_ELEMENT, dtdId)

retVal = xmlNewDataElement("SupplierID", strip$(shiftl$(i.suno)), BaanDocId)
retVal = xmlNewDataElement("Name", strip$(shiftl$(i.nama)), BaanDocId)
retVal = xmlNewDataElement("Address", strip$(shiftl$(i.namc)), BaanDocId)

fd = seq.open("file.xml", "w" )

retVal = xmlWritePretty(fd, BaanDocId, 0 )

retVal = seq.close(fd)

retVal = xmlDelete(BaanDocId, 0)
}


Having written the file, I try to read it, and to determine the contents of the <Name> element.

function read.xml.document()
{
long fileid
long suppliernode

string error_string(120)

string xml.data(50)

|open the xml file for reading.
fd = seq.open ("file.xml", "r" )

|parse the xml file
fileid = xmlread(fd, error_string)
seq.close(fd)

|determine the data-elements
suppliernode = xmlfindmatch("<Supplier>", fileid)
if (suppliernode <> 0 ) then
retval = xmlgetdataelement(suppliernode, "<Name>", xml.data)
retval = xmlgetdataelement(suppliernode, "Name", xml.data)
retval = xmlgetdataelement(suppliernode, "", xml.data)
endif

retval = xmldelete(fileid, 0)
}


As you can see I have tried several ways to isolate the content of the "Name" element , but none of them results in the expected value
of the result-string xml.data ( = "Customer Named XXX").

Can anyone tell me how to do?

Thanks!

Replace xmlFindMatch with xmlFindFirst...

|determine the data-elements
suppliernode = xmlFindFirst("Supplier", fileid)
if (suppliernode <> 0 ) then
retval = xmlgetdataelement(suppliernode, "Name", xml.data)
endif

There is not need to put '<' and '>' within the tagname string.

xmlFindFirst assigns the first valid node to suppliernode. Where xmlFindMatch will return an a new XML structure with matching nodes.

Hi FransG

Thanks a lot. Everything seems to work beautifully now.
...Hard to believe that something that simple could cause such problems.

Anyway, just to make the XML handling more understandable to me, I have a little additional question. Suppose that we have a multilevel structure - e.g. a BOM:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<BillOfMaterial>
<MainItemId>123456</MainItemId>
<SubItem>
<Position>10</Position>
<Sequence>1</Sequence>
<SubItemId>23456</SubItemId>
<NetQuantity>12.0</NetQuantity>
</SubItem>
<SubItem>
<Position>10</Position>
<Sequence>1</Sequence>
<SubItemId>345678</SubItemId>
<NetQuantity>24.0</NetQuantity>
</SubItem>
</BillOfMaterial>

How would you position the first and the second occurance of "SubItem".
xmlFindFirst("SubItem", fileid)
will give you the first one, but how do I find or "activate" the following occurances?

Furthermore: If I had multiple BOM's in the same XML file would the same methodology be applicable?

Thanks!

Hi,

If you have multiple BOMs in one xml document then you need another root node (i.e. doc).


<?xml version="1.0"?>
<doc>
<BillOfMaterial>
<MainItemId>123456</MainItemId>
<SubItem>
<Position>10</Position>
<Sequence>1</Sequence>
<SubItemId>23456</SubItemId>
<NetQuantity>12.0</NetQuantity>
</SubItem>
<SubItem>
<Position>20</Position>
<Sequence>1</Sequence>
<SubItemId>345678</SubItemId>
<NetQuantity>24.0</NetQuantity>
</SubItem>
</BillOfMaterial>
<BillOfMaterial>
<MainItemId>789012</MainItemId>
<SubItem>
<Position>10</Position>
<Sequence>1</Sequence>
<SubItemId>34567</SubItemId>
<NetQuantity>12.0</NetQuantity>
</SubItem>
<SubItem>
<Position>20</Position>
<Sequence>1</Sequence>
<SubItemId>834567</SubItemId>
<NetQuantity>24.0</NetQuantity>
</SubItem>
</BillOfMaterial>
</doc>


In this xml document there are two BOMs both with two subitems. In order to read the xml document I guess you should use something like the following code fragment:

function read.xml.document()
{
long fd
long xml.id
long bom.id
long sub.item.id
long ret.val
string error_string(120)

string xml.data1(50)
string xml.data2(50)
string xml.data3(50)
string xml.data4(50)
string xml.data5(50)

|* Open the xml file for reading.
fd = seq.open ("file.xml", "r" )

|* Parse the xml file
xml.id = xmlread(fd, error_string)
seq.close(fd)

|* First check if there is a BOM present.
bom.id = xmlFindFirst("BillOfMaterial", xml.id)
|* Loop through the BOMs in the xml document.
while bom.id <> 0
ret.val = xmlGetDataElement(bom.id, "MainItemId", xml.data1)
sub.item.id = xmlFindFirst("SubItem", bom.id)
|* Loop through the Sub Items in the BOM.
while sub.item.id <> 0
ret.val = xmlGetDataElement(sub.item.id, "SubItemId", xml.data2)
ret.val = xmlGetDataElement(sub.item.id, "Position", xml.data3)
ret.val = xmlGetDataElement(sub.item.id, "Sequence", xml.data4)
ret.val = xmlGetDataElement(sub.item.id, "NetQuantity", xml.data5)
|* Check for another component (sub item).
sub.item.id = xmlGetRightSibling(sub.item.id)
endwhile
|* Check for another BOM.
bom.id = xmlGetRightSibling(bom.id)
endwhile

ret.val = xmlDelete(xml.id, 0)
}


I haven't tested the code, but I think you get an idea about it.

Hi Frans,

Thanks for your competent suggestions. Now everything seems to work just as I wanted.

XML isn't that difficult ...as soon as the basic principles and terminology is understood. As usual it would have been helpfull with documentation from Baan (...SSA).
Luckilly I (/we) have Baanboard !!!

Best regards