Question

Read XML File to an array and compare against the values in the array

Asked by: LeannTTT

Good day experts,

I am trying to set up a console application, and make it somehow universal.
What  the purpose of all this is spliting a huge text file in smaller bits , and the separation is based on particular criteria , a part of a string and the position of the string in each row of the original tab delimited file.
The string and position criteria might change so that is why I decided I will put them in an XML file so if anything changes I can simply edit the XML file.
I attach an example of the xml file , it`s very simple.
Let me explain with very clear example.
Let`s say
I have  tab delimited file  looking like this:
**ABCBF  HJIIYT LLOOIHGGGFFDD
NHUYTR   HIIOP   AAAAAAAAJKO
Let`s suppose that in thesecond row the part AAAAAAAA that is in the second row is betwwen 96th and 103th character in the row.We have that bit in the XML file.
The idea is the program to be able to check in every row if the string elements in the XML file are existing in each row of the tab delimited file in the position specified in the XML file for each String(CountStart and CountEndPosition).
Then if a row contains the string from XML file and is in the position specified in the XML file for that particular string , then write the row in file a.txt with the same formating as the original field.
Hence we need to read row 1 and loop throught XML values and see if we find a match in between the XML strings , if we do then write row in file a.txt if not then write the row in file b.txt.Then go to next row until the end.
I was thinking of parsing the XML elements to an array , and then loop through the array while reading the tab delimited file and see if you find  matches.
So far I have only managed to get the Values displaying in the cmd prompt window, which has nothing to do with what I want to do.
I am a newbie and don`t really know much yet.
I am posting my code here and attach the XML file(which I think is correctly structured according to what I want to achieve, as this is my file as well)
Please see the XML file and my code below

Thanks very much in advance


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Strings>
<String>
		<Name>**ABC</Name>
		<CountStartPosition>5 </CountStartPosition>
		<CountEndPosition>10</CountEndPosition>
	</String>
		<String>
		<Name>AAAAAAAA</Name>
		<CountStartPosition>96</CountStartPosition>
		<CountEndPosition>103</CountEndPosition>
	</String>
	<String>
		<Name>BBBBBBBB</Name>
		<CountStartPosition>96</CountStartPosition>
		<CountEndPosition>103</CountEndPosition>
	</String>
		<String>
		<Name>CCCCCCCC</Name>
		<CountStartPosition>96</CountStartPosition>
		<CountEndPosition>103</CountEndPosition>
	</String>
	</Strings>
 
 
Module Module1
 
 
 
    Sub Main()
        Dim m_xmld As XmlDocument
        Dim m_nodelist As XmlNodeList
        Dim m_node As XmlNode
 
        'Create the XML Document
        m_xmld = New XmlDocument()
 
        'Load the Xml file
        m_xmld.Load("path\XMLFileName.xml")
 
       
 
        'Get the list of name nodes 
        m_nodelist = m_xmld.SelectNodes("/Strings/String")
 
        'Loop through the nodes 
 
        For Each m_node In m_nodelist
 
            'Get the Name Element Value
            Dim NameValue = m_node.ChildNodes.Item(0).InnerText
 
            'Get the Count Start Position Value
            Dim CountStartPositionValue = m_node.ChildNodes.Item(1).InnerText
            'Get the Count End Position Value
            Dim CountEndPositionValue = m_node.ChildNodes.Item(2).InnerText
 
 
 
            'Write Result to the Console
            Console.Write(" Name: " & NameValue & " CountStartPositionValue: " _
            & CountStartPositionValue & " CountEndPositionValue: " _
            & CountEndPositionValue)
            Console.Write(vbCrLf)
        Next
        Console.Read()
 
 
 
    End Sub
 
End Module

                                  
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Asked On
2009-05-29 at 05:48:22ID24448074
Tags

read XML to array

Topics

WebApplications

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.NET

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Microsoft Project Project Management Software

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Answers

 

by: TiggeritoPosted on 2009-05-30 at 02:35:06ID: 24508409

I don't have much time, so here's something to get you started in structuring your solution. Sorry, its in C# styled pseudo code.

I would create a class that has the properties Name, CountStartPosition and CountEndPosition . Lets call it MatchString.

Then parse the xml into a List of MatchStrings. Note, I included a static method in the class to help parse in the data.

List<MatchString> matchStrings

Finally create another method in the class to try and find the matched string from a row. If there is a match then return the text that matched, otherwise return null.

This should make it eaiser for you to parse in the data and then use it to find matches.



public class MatchString {
   public string Name {get; set;}
   public int CountStartPosition {get; set;}
   public int CountEndPosition {get; set;}
 
   public static MatchString CreateFromXml(XmlElement element);
 
   public string GetMatch(string row);
}

                                              
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