XML Parser in C#

Definition of XML Parser in C#

XML parser is defined as a software package or library which offers the interface or platform for a client application to operate on XML documents. It ensures the correct layout of an XML document and endorses those XML documents. In recent days, the browsers were developed on XML parsers. To make it a simpler process, few commercial products are available in the market to facilitate the separation or division of XML documents to get a more productive result. The smaller chunks of the XML document help the user to understand every concept and so he can apply it effectively.

What is XML parsing in c#?

In C#, the XML is a self-explaining language that offers the data and rules to retrieve the data which it holds. The most used phrases of XML in C# are MSXML, Saxon, Xerces, Sytem.Xml.document, and Java in-built parser.

The standard set of XML tools is available in Microsoft core XML Services (MSXML) which also includes a parser
The part of the .NET library is available in the system.Xml.document that comprises several classes associated to operate with XML.
The library is developed in Java in-built parser and it has its own Java library which can replace the external implementation to the java in-built parser with the help of Xerces from Saxon or Apache.

The XML querying, transforming, and parsing tools are provided by Saxon

The Xerces is implied in Java as the best XML parsing tool, found by Apache source which is available as an open-source.
Reading of an XML file signifies that reading the data entrenched in tags of XML in the XML file. The XML file can be read in many ways based on the dependency. The program can be compiled in any way according to the requirement. The code reads the data in node-wise and by using a class of XMLDataDoc, the user can read the appropriate XML file.

To open and parse XML files, an XML reader is used which is rapid and consumes minimum memory. It enables the user to run via XML string element at one time and allows the user to review the value and then he can step on the succeeding XML element. It offers low-level abstraction over the file structure of XML.

The XMLtextreader offers the direct tokenizing and parsing of XML and executes the XML values and namespaces in XML values extracted from W3C. This class XMLtextreader offers read-only access to forward and stream the XML data.

How to XML parsing in c# file?

The XML file in C# is composed of the following source code.

using System;
using System. Data;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Xml;
namespace Edureka
{
public partial class Form1: Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void button1_Click(object Edureka, EventArgs e)
{
XmlTextWriter writer = new XmlTextWriter("product.xml", System.Text.Encoding.UTF8);
writer.WriteStartDocument(true);
writer.Formatting = Formatting.Indented;
writer.Indentation = 2;
writer.WriteStartElement("Table");
createNode("1", "Product 1", "100", writer);
createNode("2", "Product 2", "200", writer);
createNode("3", "Product 3", "300", writer);
writer.WriteEndElement();
writer.WriteEndDocument();
writer.Close();
MessageBox.Show("XML File created ! ");
}
private void createNode(course, course_id, courseName, Price, XmlTextWriter writer)
{
writer.WriteStartElement("course");
writer.WriteStartElement("course_id");
writer.WriteString(pID);
writer.WriteEndElement();
writer.WriteStartElement("courseName");
writer.WriteString(pName);
writer.WriteEndElement();
writer.WriteStartElement("price");
writer.WriteString(Price);
writer.WriteEndElement();
writer.WriteEndElement();
}
}
}

Command XML parsing in c#

All the XML documents should have a compulsory root element which should be the parent of all other elements. All the elements should have a closing tag. It is illegal or it causes error if the command is without the closing tags.

<root>
<child>
<data>….<\data>
<\child>
<\root>

XML opening or prolog:

The XML prolog or opening syntax is not mandatory. If it is present, then it should be at the top of the commands. It can also contain foreign characters like French or Norwegian. To avoid bugs or errors, the user should mention the used coding and should save the XML files in UTF-8 format. Because it is the default character to encode the XML documents.

The tags of the XML are case sensitive

The tag <Message> is not the same as the tag <message>. Both serve a different purpose and don’t represent the same meaning. The closing and opening tags should be represented with the same case.

<letter> this representation is correct <\letter>.

The closing and opening tags are known as end and start tags. It can be applied whenever the user preferred.

The elements in XML should be completely nested.

In HTML, we can come across many improper nested data. But in XML, all the elements are properly attended and nested with other elements. So all are encapsulated correctly.

For example,

<a><b> The subject is a and b <\b><\a>

Here, it is properly nested which means that b is an element opened inside an element and it is closed in an element.
All the XML elements have every name, attribute, and value pair. The attributes of XML should be quoted.

Few characters of XML hold some special meaning. Example,

• &lt represents less than symbol
• &gt represents greater than a symbol
• &amp represent ampersand notation
• &apos denotes apostrophe notation
• &quot denotes quotation symbol

The symbols & and < are illegal and it’s strictly not used. But it is a healthy habit to replace > with &gt symbol.

The comments used in XML in writing comments are the same as HTML. Two slashes in the middle of the comment are not encouraged. The best example is <! It comments 

Blank or white gaps are preserved in XML and don’t shorten multiple white spaces. The multiple white spaces can be truncated to a single white or blank space.

In XML, the new line is saved as LF. The mac and Unix OS uses LF. The prior mac versions use CR and a new XML save the new input line as LF

The XML document follows the rules of the syntax as denoted as well-defined or well-formed documents in XML.________________________________________

Conclusion

Hence these are few commands used in XML parsing C#. By using the software package, it acts as an interface for customer products to operate with an XML document.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to XML Parser in C#. Here we discuss What is XML parsing in c#, How to XML parsing in c# file? respectively. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –

1. XML Uses
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