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Parse XML with multiple oddly declared namespaces using VB.NET

Hello Experts!

I'm attempting to parse an XML string using VB.NET 2010. The XML contains multiple namespaces which are declared in a way I haven't seen before. Rather than using a string literal for the URI, the prefix and the URI are the same. I need to be able to capture all of the values in the XML but I'm getting an error which reads:

'xyz' is an unexpected token. The expected token is '"' or '''. Line 7, position 26.

Here is a sample of the XML:

<COMPANYXYZ>
  <SYSTEM101>
    <HEADER>
      <ID>ABCD-101-ZYXW-99</ID>
    </HEADER>
    <BODY>
      <PROCESS xmlns:xyz=xyz>
        <xyz:JOBNUMBER>A523</xyz:JOBNUMBER>
        <xyz:BATCH>
          <xyz:STATUS>
            <xyz:CODE>0</xyz:CODE>
          </xyz:STATUS>
          <xyz:CARDINFO>
            <subSys:RESPONSE xmlns:subSys=subSys>
              <responseDetail NAME="STATUS">FINISHED</responseDetail>
              <responseDetail NAME="RESPONSE_MSG">The job finished.</responseDetail>
            </subSys:RESPONSE>
          </xyz:CARDINFO>
        </xyz:BATCH>
      </PROCESS>
    </BODY>
  </SYSTEM101>
</COMPANYXYZ>

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Here is a sample of the VB code:

        Dim theXml As String = GetXmlString()

        Dim xmlDoc As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument()
        xmlDoc.LoadXml(theXml)

        Dim idNums As XmlNodeList
        idNums = xmlDoc.GetElementsByTagName("ID")
        Console.WriteLine("ID: " + idNums(0).InnerXml)

        Dim respDetails As XmlNodeList
        respDetails = xmlDoc.GetElementsByTagName("responseDetail")
        Dim i As Integer
        For i = 0 To respDetails.Count - 1
            Console.WriteLine(respDetails(i).InnerXml)
        Next

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Details:

I didn't create the XML and have no control over how it is being sent to me.
The XML in the sample above correctly reflects the error I'm seeing - specifically the way the namespaces are declared - however I've edited the tags for security reasons. (The names have been changed to protect the innocent, so to speak.)
I don't have a lot of experience working with namespaces in XML in general in VB.
I've looked into the XmlNamespaceManager class but I haven't been able to get it to work in this scenario.
When I remove all references to namespaces from the XML that I'm being sent, the code I'm using works, however I'd rather not edit what I'm being sent.
The error is appearing as soon as the xmlDoc.LoadXml() method is called.
The VB code I'm using may not be the most efficient or best way of pulling out the data - it's just for demonstration and the code is failing before it reaches that point anyway. Please feel free to suggest a better method.

My question is, what do I need to do in order to parse this XML correctly?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

zc2

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Gren Mus

You need to first welform your xml programmatically by giving quotes to both the xmlns values. So the output xml will be like following which will be input to your code.

<COMPANYXYZ>
<SYSTEM101>
<HEADER>
<ID>ABCD-101-ZYXW-99</ID>
</HEADER>
<BODY>
<PROCESS xmlns:xyz="xyz">
<xyz:JOBNUMBER>A523</xyz:JOBNUMBER>
<xyz:BATCH>
<xyz:STATUS>
<xyz:CODE>0</xyz:CODE>
</xyz:STATUS>
<xyz:CARDINFO>
<subSys:RESPONSE xmlns:subSys="subSys">
<responseDetail NAME="STATUS">FINISHED</responseDetail>
<responseDetail NAME="RESPONSE_MSG">The job finished.</responseDetail>
</subSys:RESPONSE>
</xyz:CARDINFO>
</xyz:BATCH>
</PROCESS>
</BODY>
</SYSTEM101>
</COMPANYXYZ>

Jeff Edmunds

ASKER

I am not sure about the exact syntax of the replace() method in the CLR, but you should get the idea.

This worked:

            theXML = theXML.Replace("<PROCESS xmlns:xyz=xyz>", "<PROCESS xmlns:xyz=""xyz"">")
            theXML = theXML.Replace("<subSys:RESPONSE xmlns:subSys=subSys>", "<subSys:RESPONSE xmlns:subSys=""subSys"">")

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Thanks for your help!

Jeff Edmunds

ASKER

Thanks for your help!

zc2

You are welcome!