writting to xml

 

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/zh-CN/vbgeneral/thread/06744366-c956-4e92-ace5-cd1fd5944232

 

Okay so say I have this XML:

How could I write to that, like add another game to it? Like rewrite that but from textboxes but create a whole new game after that game.

<Gamelist>



<Game>



<Name>



Oblivion 


</Name>



<Gamename>



Oblivion



</Gamename>



<Author>



Mocha



</Author>

<ID>



1

</ID>

</Game>

Code to append node using System.XML. Dont forget to import system.xml.

• Can be further improved using LINQ to XML.

   

  Imports System.Xml
  
  Public Class Form1
  
    Private Sub UpdateXML()
      'You should take values as arguments
      'arguments such as FileName, if possible node to append to
      'and nodelist that is to appended
  
  
      'Fetch document to be processed
      Dim GameList As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument()
      GameList.Load("GameList.xml")
  
      'This will give you <Gamelist> node in mainNode object
      Dim mainNode As XmlNode = GameList.DocumentElement
  
      'Node to be appended
      Dim Game As XmlNode = GameList.CreateElement("Game")
  
      'subNode object can be used multiple times
  
      'declare a subNode
      'assign value
      'append it to Game node
      'reuse same object
      Dim subNode As XmlNode = GameList.CreateElement("Name")
      subNode.InnerText = TextBox1.Text 'Replace this
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      'As I said, use it for all the subnodes
      'you wish to append to <Game>
      subNode = GameList.CreateElement("Gamename")
      'subNode.InnerText = some other textbox.text
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      subNode = GameList.CreateElement("Author")
      'subNode.InnerText = some other textbox.text
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      subNode = GameList.CreateElement("Id")
      'subNode.InnerText = some other textbox.text
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      'Done adding subNodes to <Game>
  
      'Finally append <Game> to <Gamelist>
      mainNode.AppendChild(Game)
  
      'Save
      GameList.Save("C:\newGameList1.xml")
  
    End Sub
  
  
  End Class

  
  

  ---

  Thanks
  
  

• The method I like is Serialization. You basically create a serializable class with the properties and/or methods you need on your object. Then you can serialize (save it to xml) or desierialize it (create it from xml) and you don’t have to worry about the xml.

  So a serializeable class of person might look like this:

  <Serializable()> _
  Public Class Person
    Private _Name As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Name() As String
      Get
        Return _Name
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Name = value
      End Set
    End Property
  
    Private _Gender As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Gender() As String
      Get
        Return _Gender
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Gender = value
      End Set
    End Property
  End Class
  

  In you app you would have a List(Of Person) to hold all of your people. When you Serialize it the xml will look like this:
  

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
  <ArrayOfPerson xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
   <Person>
    <Name>John</Name>
    <Gender>M</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Jane</Name>
    <Gender>F</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Jimmy</Name>
    <Gender>M</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Jone</Name>
    <Gender>F</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Frank</Name>
    <Gender>M</Gender>
   </Person>
  </ArrayOfPerson>
  

  If you add or remove any properties from your class the xml will automatically reflect the changes without you having to add the nodes to you function that loads or saves the xml.

  Below is an example to use it create a new app and paste all of the below code over the new From1’s code.

  Imports System.Xml
  Imports System.Xml.Serialization
  
  Public Class Form1
    Private xmlFileName As String = My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.Desktop + "\People.xml"
    Private People As New List(Of Person)
  
    Private Sub Add_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
      Dim newPerson As New Person
  
      'Create a new Person
      With newPerson
        .Name = InputBox("What name", "New Person")
        .Gender = InputBox("M/F", "New Person")
      End With
  
      'add to people list
      People.Add(newPerson)
  
      'update list databinding
      With lstPeople
        .DataSource = Nothing
        .DisplayMember = "Name"
        .DataSource = People
      End With
  
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub SavePeople()
      Dim xml_Writer As XmlWriter
  
      Dim xml_Serializer As XmlSerializer
  
      Try
        'Create a Serializer for your people list
        xml_Serializer = New XmlSerializer(GetType(List(Of Person)))
  
        'Create a xmlwriter to write to the xml file
        xml_Writer = New XmlTextWriter(xmlFileName, System.Text.Encoding.Unicode)
  
        'Serialize your list of people
        xml_Serializer.Serialize(xml_Writer, People)
      Catch ex As Exception
  
      Finally
        If xml_Writer IsNot Nothing Then
          If xml_Writer.WriteState <> WriteState.Closed Then
            xml_Writer.Close()
          End If
        End If
      End Try
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub LoadPeople()
      Dim xml_Reader As XmlReader
  
      Dim xml_Serializer As XmlSerializer
  
      Try
        xml_Serializer = New XmlSerializer(GetType(List(Of Person)))
  
        xml_Reader = New XmlTextReader(xmlFileName)
  
        People = CType(xml_Serializer.Deserialize(xml_Reader), List(Of Person))
      Catch ex As Exception
  
      Finally
        If xml_Reader IsNot Nothing Then
          If xml_Reader.ReadState <> ReadState.Closed Then
            xml_Reader.Close()
          End If
        End If
  
        'Create new list if the 
        'People.xml doesn't exist
        If People Is Nothing Then
          People = New List(Of Person)
        End If
      End Try
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub Form1_Disposed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Disposed
      'Save your pep's
      SavePeople()
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
      'load your pep's
      LoadPeople()
  
      CreateControls()
    End Sub
  
    'Creates controls at runtime
    'for the example so you don't have to
    'at design time
    Private Sub CreateControls()
      lstPeople = New ListBox
  
      With lstPeople
        .DataSource = People
        .Dock = DockStyle.Top
  
        .DisplayMember = "Name"
      End With
  
      Me.Controls.Add(lstPeople)
  
      Dim newButton As New Button
  
      With newButton
        .Text = "Add"
        .Location = New Point(lstPeople.Right - .Width, lstPeople.Bottom + 5)
      End With
  
      AddHandler newButton.Click, AddressOf Add_Click
  
      Me.Controls.Add(newButton)
    End Sub
  
    Private lstPeople As ListBox
  End Class
  
  <Serializable()> _
  Public Class Person
    Private _Name As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Name() As String
      Get
        Return _Name
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Name = value
      End Set
    End Property
  
    Private _Gender As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Gender() As String
      Get
        Return _Gender
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Gender = value
      End Set
    End Property
  End Class  

  Code to append node using System.XML. Dont forget to import system.xml.

• Can be further improved using LINQ to XML.

   

  Imports System.Xml
  
  Public Class Form1
  
    Private Sub UpdateXML()
      'You should take values as arguments
      'arguments such as FileName, if possible node to append to
      'and nodelist that is to appended
  
  
      'Fetch document to be processed
      Dim GameList As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument()
      GameList.Load("GameList.xml")
  
      'This will give you <Gamelist> node in mainNode object
      Dim mainNode As XmlNode = GameList.DocumentElement
  
      'Node to be appended
      Dim Game As XmlNode = GameList.CreateElement("Game")
  
      'subNode object can be used multiple times
  
      'declare a subNode
      'assign value
      'append it to Game node
      'reuse same object
      Dim subNode As XmlNode = GameList.CreateElement("Name")
      subNode.InnerText = TextBox1.Text 'Replace this
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      'As I said, use it for all the subnodes
      'you wish to append to <Game>
      subNode = GameList.CreateElement("Gamename")
      'subNode.InnerText = some other textbox.text
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      subNode = GameList.CreateElement("Author")
      'subNode.InnerText = some other textbox.text
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      subNode = GameList.CreateElement("Id")
      'subNode.InnerText = some other textbox.text
      Game.AppendChild(subNode)
  
      'Done adding subNodes to <Game>
  
      'Finally append <Game> to <Gamelist>
      mainNode.AppendChild(Game)
  
      'Save
      GameList.Save("C:\newGameList1.xml")
  
    End Sub
  
  
  End Class

  
  

  ---

  Thanks
  
  The method I like is Serialization. You basically create a serializable class with the properties and/or methods you need on your object. Then you can serialize (save it to xml) or desierialize it (create it from xml) and you don’t have to worry about the xml.

• So a serializeable class of person might look like this:

  <Serializable()> _
  Public Class Person
    Private _Name As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Name() As String
      Get
        Return _Name
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Name = value
      End Set
    End Property
  
    Private _Gender As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Gender() As String
      Get
        Return _Gender
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Gender = value
      End Set
    End Property
  End Class
  

  In you app you would have a List(Of Person) to hold all of your people. When you Serialize it the xml will look like this:
  

  <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
  <ArrayOfPerson xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
   <Person>
    <Name>John</Name>
    <Gender>M</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Jane</Name>
    <Gender>F</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Jimmy</Name>
    <Gender>M</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Jone</Name>
    <Gender>F</Gender>
   </Person>
   <Person>
    <Name>Frank</Name>
    <Gender>M</Gender>
   </Person>
  </ArrayOfPerson>
  

  If you add or remove any properties from your class the xml will automatically reflect the changes without you having to add the nodes to you function that loads or saves the xml.

  Below is an example to use it create a new app and paste all of the below code over the new From1’s code.

  Imports System.Xml
  Imports System.Xml.Serialization
  
  Public Class Form1
    Private xmlFileName As String = My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.Desktop + "\People.xml"
    Private People As New List(Of Person)
  
    Private Sub Add_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
      Dim newPerson As New Person
  
      'Create a new Person
      With newPerson
        .Name = InputBox("What name", "New Person")
        .Gender = InputBox("M/F", "New Person")
      End With
  
      'add to people list
      People.Add(newPerson)
  
      'update list databinding
      With lstPeople
        .DataSource = Nothing
        .DisplayMember = "Name"
        .DataSource = People
      End With
  
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub SavePeople()
      Dim xml_Writer As XmlWriter
  
      Dim xml_Serializer As XmlSerializer
  
      Try
        'Create a Serializer for your people list
        xml_Serializer = New XmlSerializer(GetType(List(Of Person)))
  
        'Create a xmlwriter to write to the xml file
        xml_Writer = New XmlTextWriter(xmlFileName, System.Text.Encoding.Unicode)
  
        'Serialize your list of people
        xml_Serializer.Serialize(xml_Writer, People)
      Catch ex As Exception
  
      Finally
        If xml_Writer IsNot Nothing Then
          If xml_Writer.WriteState <> WriteState.Closed Then
            xml_Writer.Close()
          End If
        End If
      End Try
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub LoadPeople()
      Dim xml_Reader As XmlReader
  
      Dim xml_Serializer As XmlSerializer
  
      Try
        xml_Serializer = New XmlSerializer(GetType(List(Of Person)))
  
        xml_Reader = New XmlTextReader(xmlFileName)
  
        People = CType(xml_Serializer.Deserialize(xml_Reader), List(Of Person))
      Catch ex As Exception
  
      Finally
        If xml_Reader IsNot Nothing Then
          If xml_Reader.ReadState <> ReadState.Closed Then
            xml_Reader.Close()
          End If
        End If
  
        'Create new list if the 
        'People.xml doesn't exist
        If People Is Nothing Then
          People = New List(Of Person)
        End If
      End Try
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub Form1_Disposed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Disposed
      'Save your pep's
      SavePeople()
    End Sub
  
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
      'load your pep's
      LoadPeople()
  
      CreateControls()
    End Sub
  
    'Creates controls at runtime
    'for the example so you don't have to
    'at design time
    Private Sub CreateControls()
      lstPeople = New ListBox
  
      With lstPeople
        .DataSource = People
        .Dock = DockStyle.Top
  
        .DisplayMember = "Name"
      End With
  
      Me.Controls.Add(lstPeople)
  
      Dim newButton As New Button
  
      With newButton
        .Text = "Add"
        .Location = New Point(lstPeople.Right - .Width, lstPeople.Bottom + 5)
      End With
  
      AddHandler newButton.Click, AddressOf Add_Click
  
      Me.Controls.Add(newButton)
    End Sub
  
    Private lstPeople As ListBox
  End Class
  
  <Serializable()> _
  Public Class Person
    Private _Name As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Name() As String
      Get
        Return _Name
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Name = value
      End Set
    End Property
  
    Private _Gender As String
    <XmlElement()> _
    Public Property Gender() As String
      Get
        Return _Gender
      End Get
      Set(ByVal value As String)
        _Gender = value
      End Set
    End Property
  End Class