How to create custom output based on custom XML?

Question

Hi everybody,

I have the following text which looks like XML without root node:

String cInput = @"<Changed>
	<guests>
	</guests>
</Changed>

<CurrentState>
<guests><guest_no>5000001</guest_no><parent_no>5000001</parent_no>
<addit_no>0</addit_no><addit_no2>0</addit_no2><trans_no>0</trans_no>
<guestgroup></guestgroup><salute></salute><first_name>MEC</first_name>
<last_name>LAR</last_name><mid_name></mid_name><suffix></suffix><e_mail></e_mail>
<birth_date>01/20/1966 12:00:00 AM</birth_date><gender></gender>
<mug_shot></mug_shot><notes></notes><e_message></e_message>
<number_2>0</number_2>
<number_3>0</number_3><number_4>.00</number_4><number_5>.00</number_5>
<text_1></text_1><text_2></text_2><text_3></text_3><text_4></text_4><text_5></text_5><text_6>
</text_6><text_7></text_7><text_8></text_8><memo_1></memo_1><memo_2></memo_2><memo_3></memo_3>
<web_user></web_user><web_pswd></web_pswd><importid>SIMP5000001</importid>
<import2nd>S2ND5000001</import2nd><importir>SIR5000001</importir>
<importeml>SEML5000001</importeml><guest_2nd>0</guest_2nd><salute2></salute2>
<firstname2>JIM</firstname2><lastname2>LAR</lastname2>
<midname2></midname2><suffix2></suffix2>
<salespoint>LISA</salespoint><operator>ADMIN</operator>
<date_time>03/17/2008 03:59:39 PM</date_time>
<last_mod>6</last_mod><gfwdstatus>1</gfwdstatus>
<guest_id>0</guest_id><relation>0</relation>
<role_no>0</role_no><acct_name></acct_name>
<vipcode>0</vipcode><height>0</height>
<weight>0</weight><height_m>0</height_m>
<weight_m>0</weight_m><no_mail>false</no_mail><no_email>false</no_email>
<no_phone>false</no_phone><addr_pref>0</addr_pref></guests></CurrentState>";

Based on this or similar input I want to generate the following:

String expected = @"Changed:       

CurrentState:  
 guests:        
  guest_no:      5000001
  parent_no:     5000001
  first_name:    MEC
  last_name:     LAR
  birth_date:    01/20/1966 12:00:00 AM
  importid:      SIMP5000001
  import2nd:     S2ND5000001
  importir:      SIR5000001
  importeml:     SEML5000001
  firstname2:    JIM
  lastname2:     LAR
  salespoint:    LISA
  operator:      ADMIN
  date_time:     03/17/2008 03:59:39 PM
  last_mod:      6
  gfwdstatus:    1";

So, the idea is to don't output empty elements (number = 0, false, empty strings) and also keep indentation equal to the nesting level of the tag.

My XML knowledge is limited, I tried to look in MS documentation and samples but could not find anything helpful. This is what I started with and will appreciate some help:

 

/// <summary>
      /// Formats XML into a string
      /// </summary>
      /// <param name="input"></param>
      /// <param name="level"></param>
      /// <returns></returns>
      public String XmlDisplay(String input, Int32 level = 0)
      {
         try
         {
            if (0 == level)
            {
               String rootNode = "DummyNode";
               input = String.Format("<{0}>{1}</{0}>", rootNode, input);
            }
            if (level > 5)
               return ""; // don't create infinite loop

            XElement elements = XElement.Parse(input);
            StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder();
            String elementValue, tagName;
            String result;
            XmlNodeType elementType;
            foreach (XElement xe in elements.Elements())
            {
               tagName = xe.Name.ToString();
               foreach (XNode xn in xe.Nodes())
               {
                 elementType = xn.NodeType;
                 
                 if (elementType == XmlNodeType.Text)
                 {
                    elementValue = xn.ToString();                    
                    
                    if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(elementValue) && "0" != elementValue && "FALSE" !=elementValue.ToUpper())
                    {
                       if ("CC_SWIPE" == tagName.ToUpper())
                       {
                          Int32 cardLength = elementValue.Length;
                          String mask = new String('X', cardLength - 4);
                          String maskedCardNumber = String.Format("{0}{1}", mask, elementValue.Substring(cardLength - 4));
                          result = "".PadRight(level) + (tagName + ":").PadRight(15) + maskedCardNumber;
                       }
                       else
                       {
                          if (200 > elementValue.Length)
                             elementValue = "Too long to display";
                          result = "".PadRight(level) + (tagName + ":").PadRight(15) + elementValue;
                       }
                    }
                 }
                 else
                 {

                    result = XmlDisplay(xn.ToString(), level + 1);
                    if (!String.IsNullOrEmpty(result))
                       output.AppendLine(result);
                 }
               }               
            }
            return output.ToString();
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
            String error = ex.Message.ToString();
            Logging.Log(error, 1);
            return String.Format("<ERR>0</ERR><STATUSCODE>100</STATUSCODE><MSG>{0}</MSG>", error);
         }
         
      }

---

For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert. - Becker's Law


My blog

Answer 1

I think I've been able to create the desired output myself although I'll still appreciate suggestions of improving the code

      /// <summary>
      /// Formats a single element
      /// </summary>
      /// <param name="xe"></param>
      /// <param name="level"></param>
      /// <returns></returns>
      public String FormatSingleXmlElement(XElement xe, Int32 level = 0)
      {
         String result = "";
         String elementValue = "";
         String tagName = xe.Name.ToString();
         if (!xe.IsEmpty)
         {
            elementValue = xe.Value;

            if (!elementValue.IsValueEmpty())
            {
               if ("CC_SWIPE" == tagName.ToUpper())
               {
                  {
                     Int32 cardLength = elementValue.Length;
                     String mask = new String('X', cardLength - 4);
                     String maskedCardNumber = String.Format("{0}{1}", mask, elementValue.Substring(cardLength - 4));
                     result = "".PadRight(level) + (tagName + ":").PadRight(15) + maskedCardNumber;
                  }
               }
               else
               {
                  if (200 < elementValue.Length)
                     elementValue = elementValue.Left(200) + "...";
                  result = "".PadRight(level) + (tagName + ":").PadRight(15) + elementValue;
               }
            }
         }
         return result;
      }

      /// <summary>
      /// Based on the element either processes the current element or uses recursion
      /// </summary>
      /// <param name="element"></param>
      /// <param name="level"></param>
      /// <returns></returns>
      public String XmlToString(XElement element, Int32 level = 0)
      {
         StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder();
         String tagName = element.Name.ToString();
         String result = "";
         if (element.HasElements)
         {
            output.AppendLine("".PadRight(level) + (tagName + ":").PadRight(15));
            foreach (XNode xn in element.Nodes())
            {
               result = XmlToString((XElement)xn, level + 1);  
               if (!String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(result))
                  output.AppendLine(result);
            }
         }
         else
         {
            return FormatSingleXmlElement(element, level);
         }

         return output.ToString();
      }

      /// <summary>
      /// Formats XML into a string
      /// </summary>
      /// <param name="input"></param>
      /// <param name="level"></param>
      /// <returns></returns>
      public String XmlDisplay(String input, Int32 level = 0)
      {
         try
         {
            if (0 == level)
            {
               String rootNode = "DummyNode";
               input = String.Format("<{0}>{1}</{0}>", rootNode, input);
            }
            if (level > 5)
               return ""; // don't create infinite loop

            XElement elements = XElement.Parse(input);
            StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder();
       
            foreach (XElement xe in elements.Elements())
            {
               output.AppendLine(XmlToString(xe, level));
            }
            return output.ToString().TrimEnd('\r', '\n'); 
         }
         catch (Exception ex)
         {
            String error = ex.Message.ToString();
            Logging.Log(error, 1);
            return String.Format("<ERR>0</ERR><STATUSCODE>100</STATUSCODE><MSG>{0}</MSG>", error);
         }
      }

---

For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert. - Becker's Law


My blog

Answer 2

Maybe something like

public String XmlDisplay(String input)
{
    String rootNode = "DummyNode";
    input = String.Format("<{0}>{1}</{0}>", rootNode, input);

    XDocument doc = XDocument.Parse(input);

    var nodes = doc.Element(rootNode).Descendants()
        .Where(n => n.Value != "0" && n.Value != ".00" && n.Value != "false" && n.Value != "")
        .Select(n => new { n.Name, n.Value, Count = n.Ancestors().Count() - 1, n.HasElements });

    var output = new StringBuilder();

    foreach (var node in nodes)
    {
        if (node.HasElements)
            output.AppendLine(new string(' ', node.Count) + node.Name + ":");
        else
            output.AppendLine(new string(' ', node.Count) + node.Name + "\t" + node.Value);
    }
    return output.ToString();
}

Ancestors().Count() using for indentation.

Answer 3

If you definitely need to keep Changed: in the output then

.Where(n => n.Value != "0" && n.Value != ".00" && n.Value != "false" && n.Value != "" || n.HasElements)

Answer 4

Do you know what can I adjust in the code above to be able to insert one blank line after Changed? In this particular case we have 1 empty element and we want to add a blank line for it.

---

For every expert, there is an equal and opposite expert. - Becker's Law


My blog

Answer 5

In the foreach loop

if (node.HasElements)
{
    output.AppendLine(new string(' ', node.Count) + node.Name + ":");
    if (node.Value == "")
        output.AppendLine(); // add blank line, in case we have no any value
}
else
    ...