Hi,
are there some methods to easily read xml files and their nodes? The same for writing them. I haven�t found anything yet.
Greetings
General/ThomasSempf
Hi General/ThomasSempf, for getting an xml file into an array: General/[[NSArray alloc] initWithContentsOfFile: @”myinput.xml”]. for saving an array to an xml file: [anArray writeToFile: @”myoutput.xml” atomically: NO]
Then you can simply read/write the single elements within the array. Hope it helps.
Bye peacha
Be careful not to confuse XML files with General/XmlPropertyLists. An XML file can contain a variety of data in a variety of formats. General/XmlPropertyLists refers to a specific XML format to store arrays, strings, dictionaries, for General/ObjC and General/CoreFoundation applications.
Anyone know how you read and write arbitrary XML files? Can it be done with General/CoreFoundation?
– General/MikeTrent
An General/NSArray reads/writes “pure” XML files, while an General/NSDictionary operates (with the same methods as General/NSArray) on property lists. You can do it even with General/CoreFoundation: there is “Property List Services” for that. In General/CoreFoundation/General/CFPropertyList.h there is function General/CFDataRef General/CFPropertyListCreateXMLData (General/CFAllocatorRef, General/CFDictionaryRef);
peacha
Eh? You’re still talking about property lists, which can only support strings, arrays, dictionaries, numbers and booleans. In General/CoreFoundation you can use XML Services for generic XML parsing. See http://developer.apple.com/techpubs/macosx/General/CoreFoundation/General/XMLServices/xmlservices_carbon.html
Apple’s new layout is a bit different: you might want to try http://developer.apple.com/documentation/General/CoreFoundation/Conceptual/CFXML/index.html instead.
– General/FinlayDobbie
Hey, you’re right Finlay. And wow, it even lets you customize the parser! I must admit that I am missing a lot of interesting things about General/CoreFoundation.
peacha
If you want a Framework for XML see here: http://www.subsume.com/static/General/WebObjects/General/SubsumeSite/General/SubsumeSite/Tech/Software/STXML.html
Also check out General/XMLTree, a Public Domain Objective-C wrapper for Apple’s XML parser.
A real, DOM-compliant, XML framework is Iconara DOM Framework (General/IconaraDOM). It’s similar to the Java frameworks JDOM (www.jdom.org) and XOM (www.xom.nu). What’s more: it’s GPL’ed.
General/IconaraDOM: http://sourceforge.net/projects/iconaradom
I’m trying to use General/XMLTree to read an XML file. This is what I’m trying to read:
<?xml standalone=”yes” version=”1.0” ?>
Now when I call General/[XMLTree description], it returns “General/TestPerson” (minus the quotes). When I call General/[XMLTree count], it returns 3. Now I wan’t to read the “Name” item. Here’s what I’m trying:
General/XMLTree *file = General/[XMLTree treeWithURL:[NSURL fileURLWithPath:[_HOME stringByAppendingString:_acpAlarmsPathComponent]]]; General/XMLTree *prefs = [file descendentNamed:@”Preferences”]; General/XMLTree *registration = [prefs descendentNamed:@”Registration”]; General/NSString *theName = [registration attributeNamed:@”Name”];
However, no matter what I do, theName is always nil. I can’t figure it out. I was hoping someone here could help me out a little bit. Thanks.
It looks like Name is a descendent, not an attribute.
The same example with Iconara DOM (see above):
General/DOMDocument *document = General/[DOMBuilder documentFromFile:@”whicheverfile”]; General/DOMElement *prefs = [document rootElement]; General/DOMElement *reg = General/prefs children] objectAtIndex:0]; [[NSString *theName = General/[reg children] objectAtIndex:0] string];
or in v1.1 (comming soon)
[[DOMDocument *document = General/[DOMBuilder documentFromFile:@”whicheverfile”]; General/NSString *theName = General/document getElementsByTagName:@”name”] objectAtIndex:0];
or you could do it with an [[XPath filter.
– General/TheoHultberg/Iconara
It appears the the General/CFXMLTree create functions don’t like XML that defines variable numbers of child elements, e.g.
<?xml version=”1.0” standalone=”yes”?> <!DOCTYPE person [ <!ELEMENT first_name (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT last_name (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT profession (#PCDATA)> <!ELEMENT name (first_name, last_name)> <!ELEMENT person (name, profession*)> <— THIS LINE ]>
Note the * after the profession. I get a nil General/CFXMLTree if I put that in, but if I take it out and make no other changes, the General/CFXMLTree is created. Is this to be expected? Is there something about General/CFXMLTrees that require a single child (or equal number of children) per node? – General/GKinnel