Adding child nodes using c# Xdocument class

Question

I have an xml file as given below.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <file:Situattion xmlns:file="test">

  <file:Properties>

</file:Situattion>

I would like to add the child element file:Character using xDocument.So that my final xml would be like given below

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
  <file:Situattion xmlns:file="test">

   <file:Characters>

     <file:Character file:ID="File0">
     <file:Value>value0</file:Value>
     <file:Description>
      Description0 
     </file:Description>
     </file:Character>

 <file:Character file:ID="File1">
     <file:Value>value1</file:Value>
     <file:Description>
     Description1
     </file:Description>
     </file:Character>

     </file:Characters>

Code in c# i tried using Xdocument class is given below.

        XNamespace ns = "test";
        Document = XDocument.Load(Folderpath + "\\File.test");

        if (Document.Descendants(ns + "Characters") != null)
        {

            Document.Add(new XElement(ns + "Character"));
        }
        Document.Save(Folderpath + "\\File.test");

At line "Document.Add(new XElement(ns + "Character"));", I am getting an error:

"This operation would create an incorrectly structured document.".

How can I add the node under "file:Characters".

have you looked into using XPATH or XQuery also look at the ->Related Link located to the right side of this current page, lots of working examples for you to investigate — MethodMan
– MethodMan, Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 5:46
@DJKRAZE: There's no need to use XPath or XQuery here at all, and I don't believe they'd even make the code simpler. — Jon Skeet
– Jon Skeet, Commented Jul 29, 2013 at 5:49

Jon Skeet · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-29 06:16:18Z

22

You're trying to add an extra file:Character element directly into the root. You don't want to do that - you want to add it under the file:Characters element, presumably.

Also note that Descendants() will never return null - it will return an empty sequence if there are no matching elements. So you want:

var ns = "test";
var file = Path.Combine(folderPath, "File.test");
var doc = XDocument.Load(file);
// Or var characters = document.Root.Element(ns + "Characters")
var characters = document.Descendants(ns + "Characters").FirstOrDefault();
if (characters != null)
{
    characters.Add(new XElement(ns + "Character");
    doc.Save(file);
}

Note that I've used more conventional naming, Path.Combine, and also moved the Save call so that you'll only end up saving if you've actually made a change to the document.

edited Jul 29, 2013 at 6:16

answered Jul 29, 2013 at 5:49

Jon Skeet

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5 Comments

mystack Over a year ago

What is the type of "document" object.?

mystack Over a year ago

getting an error "The ':' character, hexadecimal value 0x3A, cannot be included in a name."

Jon Skeet Over a year ago

@user1654136: doc is XDocument. And if you're getting that error, that suggests you're using "file:Character" as the local name instead of ns + "Character", or something similar. You shouldn't have that problem in the code I've provided.

mystack Over a year ago

How can i add file:ID="File0" and <file:Value>value0</file:Value> using the above code

Jon Skeet Over a year ago

@user1654136: Use new XAttribute(ns + "ID", "File0") and new XElement(ns + "Value", "value0"). Basically you use ns for the namespace - you don't put the alias into the localname.

Prash · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-29 06:12:03Z

7

    Document.Root.Element("Characters").Add(new XElement("Character", new XAttribute("ID", "File0"), new XElement("Value", "value0"), new XElement("Description")),
        new XElement("Character", new XAttribute("ID", "File1"), new XElement("Value", "value1"), new XElement("Description")));

Note: I have not included the namespace for brevity. You have to add those.

edited Jul 29, 2013 at 6:12

answered Jul 29, 2013 at 6:06

Prash

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