Linq to XML

Question

User136806914 posted

Does Linq throw an object reference exception when parent node doesn't exits, if yes how do we check if the parent node exist

var test = from y in x.Descendants("test").Elements("test2")
           select......

what will happen if test node doesn't exist?

Answer 1

User1120430333 posted

Does Linq throw an object reference exception when parent node doesn't exits, if yes how do we check if the parent node exist

var test = from y in x.Descendants("test").Elements("test2")
           select......

what will happen if test node doesn't exist?

In this case, test,  the results and a collection, Test.Count will = 0, which means no items are in the collection.  

Answer 2

User991499041 posted

Hi PraveenAmar,

Does Linq throw an object reference exception when parent node doesn't exits, if yes how do we check if the parent node exist

var test = from y in x.Descendants("test").Elements("test2")
           select......

what will happen if test node doesn't exist?

In this case, if "test" node doesn't exist, it would not throw an exception.

However if there is no Element and Attribute, it would throw NullReferenceException.

Besides, if you want to know how to handle blank or no Element and Attribute, you could try this.

XML file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Employees>
  <Employee Location="Earth">
    <Name>Wriju</Name>
    <Email>[e-mail]</Email>
  </Employee>
  <Employee Location="Moon">
    <Name>Tupur</Name>
    <Email>[e-mail]</Email>
  </Employee>
  <Employee>
    <Name>Wrishika</Name>
  </Employee>  
</Employees>

var xml = XElement.Load(@"C:\xxx\xxx\Employee.xml");


var q = from e in xml.Descendants("Employee")
       select new
       {
            Name = e.Element("Name").ElementValueNull(),
            Location = e.AttributeValueNull("Location"),
            Email = e.Element("Email").ElementValueNull()
       };
foreach (var k in q)
{
   Console.WriteLine("Name : {0}, Email : {1}, Location : {2}",
       k.Name, k.Email, k.Location);
}


//This method is to handle if element is missing
public static string ElementValueNull(this XElement element)
{
    if (element != null)
        return element.Value;

    return "";
}

//This method is to handle if attribute is missing
public static string AttributeValueNull(this XElement element, string attributeName)
{
    if (element == null)
        return "";
    else
    {
        XAttribute attr = element.Attribute(attributeName);
        return attr == null ? "" : attr.Value;
    }
}

Result

Regards,

zxj