Loading asynchronous XML in javascript

Hello,

Im using javascript to load a simple xml document, using the following code:

      //Name: loadXML
      //Purpose: To load xml at any location
      var xmlDoc;
      function loadXML(strPath) {
            
            //code for IE
            if(window.ActiveXObject) {
                  
                  xmlDoc=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM");
                  xmlDoc.async=false;
                  //xmlDoc.onreadystatechange = getXMLState;
                  xmlDoc.load(strPath);
                  return xmlDoc;
                  
                  } else if(document.implementation && document.implementation.createDocument) { // mozilla
                        
                        xmlDoc = document.implementation.createDocument("","",null);
                        xmlDoc.load(strPath);
                        return xmlDoc; // returning data before entire document is loaded
      
                        }
            
            }


And i am calling the code like so:

      //load the xml data
      var objXmlTmp = loadXML('/data/formData2.xml');
      
      //alert('Number of objXmlTmp nodes = ' + objXmlTmp.childNodes.length);
      
      //get the nodes
      var objXml = objXmlTmp.getElementsByTagName('list');
      
      //alert('Length of objXml nodes in top function = ' + objXml.length);

My problem is that if you uncomment the last alert statement, it will return "Length of objXml nodes in top function = 0", however if you additionally uncomment the first alert statement, the last alert statement will return "Length of objXml nodes in top function = 3". I am therefore convinced that this is because Firefox is calling the XML asynchronously, and by executing the alert statements the code is having enough time to finish loading the xml.

Can anyone help modify my code so that the firefox version also loads asychronously?

Thanks in advance
Al
partnershipdevAsked:
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Michel PlungjanConnect With a Mentor IT ExpertCommented:
try this

http://www.webmasterworld.com/forum91/3517.htm
var oLoadedXML;
function loadXML(sImportXML) {
  if( window.ActiveXObject && /Win/.test(navigator.userAgent) ) {
    oLoadedXML = new ActiveXObject("Msxml.DOMDocument");
    oLoadedXML.async = false;
    oLoadedXML.onreadystatechange = function () {
      if (oLoadedXML.readyState == 4) parseXML();
    }
    oLoadedXML.load(sImportXML);
  }
  else if( document.implementation && document.implementation.createdocument ) {
    oLoadedXML = document.implementation.createdocument("","",null);
    oLoadedXML.async=false;
    var loaded = oLoadedXML.load(sImportXML);
    if (loaded) {
      parseXML();
    }
  }
  else {
    alert("Your browser can\'t handle this script");
    return;
  }
}

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Michel PlungjanIT ExpertCommented:
where you have
function parseXML() {
  var objXml = oLoadedXML.getElementsByTagName('list');
  alert('Length of objXml nodes in top function = ' + objXml.length);
}

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partnershipdevAuthor Commented:
Hi mplungian,

Thanks for your input. I didnt use the code exactly, but was able to use parts of it in my existing code which now works perfectly.

Probably the quickest response ive ever had on EE.

Cheers
Al
0
 
Michel PlungjanIT ExpertCommented:
Ah..  I have been faster than that... If I knew the answer off the top of my head it could have been under 2 minutes ;)
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