asked on

Validate XML with external DTD w/o DOCTYPE reference in XML file

I would like to be able to have an XML string as follows:

<ROOT>
...
</ROOT>

I have defined a DTD for this string which I will be getting via a web service. Now I want to validate this string against my local DTD file and also override any DOCTYPE references that anyone may choose to put in the XML string (they can't if they use my client but if someone malicious gets authenticated and tries something no one has thought of, there is a potential for this web service to compromise a lot of information)

I hope you understand what I mean here.

Basically I want something like this (pseudo-code):

oXML = LoadXML(sXML);
oXML.ValidatingDTD(new FileStreamReader(myLocalDTDFile));
if (oXML.Validate())
... allow ...
else
throw exception ("You bastard, you didnt use my client");
end if

I would prefer examples in C#

Thanks

sohail_somani

ASKER

Sorry guys, I think I got it:

http://www.dotnet247.com/247reference/msgs/30/150712.aspx

YuriPutivsky

Take a look at Terimber XML parser
http://www.terimber.com

malharone

hi sohail, i was just searching the google and came across your article .. would you be able to post one more post on this ? i've an external xml file which i'm trying to validate using an external dtd. the xml file does not have the doctype reference.

System.Xml.XmlTextReader r;
r= new XmlTextReader("C:\\MyFolder\\Product.xml");
System.Xml.XmlValidatingReader v= new XmlValidatingReader(r);
v.Schemas.Add(null,"C:\\MyFolder\\Product.dtd");
System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(v.Schemas.Count.ToString());
v.ValidationType=System.Xml.ValidationType.Schema; //options: none, dtd, auto, xdr
v.ValidationEventHandler += new ValidationEventHandler(MyValidationEventHandler);
while (v.Read())
{

}

and it's giving me an error. appreciate your help

- malhar

sohail_somani

ASKER

malhar

I wrote a static class based on an answer I found from somewhere (I dont remember where)Here is what I did:

public class XmlValidator
{
      static bool IsValid = true;

      private static void CallBack(object sender, ValidationEventArgs args)
      {
            if (args.Severity==XmlSeverityType.Error)
                  IsValid = false;
      }

// dtdinfo[0] = doctype name
// dtdinfo[1] = path to dtd
// note: dtdinfo is ignored if validation type is not dtd
      public static bool Validate(object Xml, string ValidatorPath,ValidationType vt,string[] dtdInfo)
      {
            XmlTextReader x =null;
            XmlValidatingReader v=null;
#if DEBUG
            Console.WriteLine("Validator is a " + vt + " located at " + ValidatorPath);
#endif
            if (vt==ValidationType.None)
            {
                  throw new XmlValidationException(ValidatorException.IllegalValidationType);
            }
            IsValid = true;

            try
            {
                  if (Xml is StringReader) x = new XmlTextReader((StringReader)Xml);
                  else if (Xml is String) x = new XmlTextReader(new StringReader((string)Xml));

                  if (vt==ValidationType.DTD)
                  {
                        XmlParserContext pc = new XmlParserContext(null,null,dtdInfo[0],"",dtdInfo[1],"",dtdInfo[1],"",
                              XmlSpace.Default);
                        x.MoveToContent();
                        v = new XmlValidatingReader(x.ReadOuterXml(),XmlNodeType.Element,pc);
                        v.ValidationType=ValidationType.DTD;
                  }
                  else
                  {
                        v = new XmlValidatingReader(x);
                        v.ValidationType = vt;
                        v.Schemas.Add(null,new XmlTextReader(new StreamReader(ValidatorPath)));
                  }

                  while (v.Read());
            }
            finally
            {
                  if (v!=null)v.Close();
                  if (x!=null)x.Close();
            }
            return IsValid;
      }
}

Bob Learned

No comment has been added lately, so it's time to clean up this TA.
I will leave the following recommendation for this question in the Cleanup topic area:

PAQ with points refunded

Please leave any comments here within the next seven days.
PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS COMMENT AS AN ANSWER!

TheLearnedOne
EE Cleanup Volunteer

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Validate XML with external DTD *w/o* DOCTYPE reference in XML file

Validate XML with external DTD w/o DOCTYPE reference in XML file