Possible to force output format of empty elements?

[Clark Spencer]

I have built a small integration app using VS .NET 2003 that extracts
orderinformatio n from a 'webshop'. Extracting the orderinformatio n works fine.

Appending the order elements in the XmlDocument was also done in a jiffy.
The final step is to save the document to disk and then ship it to another
system using ftp. The xml orderfile produced must fit a set specification of
the recieving system. That specification states that empty elements must be
formated in one line using a long format for empty elements.

It should look like this:
<address1></address1>

And not like this:
</address1>
Or this:

<address1>
</address1>

When I save the xml order document to disk all empty elements are formatted
with a carridge return (0x0D) and linefeed (0x0A). Is it possible to force
output format of empty elements somehow? I want the empty elements formated
like this <address1></address1> - without the carridge return and linefeed.

I've looked at and tried the PreserveWhitesp ace property of the XmlDocument.
I've also looked at XmlNodeType and the difference between WhiteSpacehandl ing
and Significat WhitespaceHandl ing. It has made me all confused.

I realize that there are probably resonable explanations for this complexity
but right now I'm just looking for a quick answer.

Any help would be very appreciated!

Thanks,

Clark Spencer

[Derek Harmon]

"Clark Spencer" <Cl**********@d iscussions.micr osoft.com> wrote in message news:2E******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

It seems my only two choice are to live with the fact that carridge return
linefeeds are inserted into empty elements OR turn PreserveWhiteSp ace off?

The last option removes the indentation which makes the xmldocument readable
to humans. The first option is not a valid option since I send carridge
returns instead of nothing to the recieving system.

Why are the carridge return line feed inserted? Does'nt anyone know?
If you're using a System.IO.TextW riter to receive the ouput, then
try changing the TextWriter's NewLine property to "".

Create each of the underlying Stream, TextWriter, and XmlTextWriter
around that which you may be using separately, so you can set this
on the TextWriter instance before you hand it to the XmlTextWriter.

: : "Clark Spencer" wrote:

It should look like this:
<address1></address1>

And not like this:
</address1>
<address1 />

: : Or this:

<address1>
</address1>

This is usually caused because the producer of the XML (an XslTransform?)
is using WriteEndElement ( ) -- which will emit an end tag in the shortened
form if the element has no child content -- instead of WriteFullEndEle ment( ).

A workaround for this behavior is to inject an XmlTextWriter wrapping the
TextWriter you're already using, and that this "filter" would be made
responsible for intercepting calls to WriteEndElement ( ) and substituting
calls to WriteFullEndEle ment( ) instead.

Try this class,

- - - XmlTextWriterEE .cs (complete)
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Xml;

/// <summary>
/// Wrapper that forces more compact empty element end
/// tags to be written as full end tags whenever possible.
/// </summary>
public class XmlTextWriterEE : XmlTextWriter
{
public XmlTextWriterEE ( TextWriter sink) : base( sink) {;}
public override void WriteFullEndEle ment() {
base.WriteEndEl ement();
}
}
- - -

Wrap this around your TextWriter (that you disabled NewLine on?)
and see if that helps with prying open the end tags into their more
verborse form.
Derek Harmon

[Derek Harmon]

"Derek Harmon" <lo*******@msn. com> wrote in message news:OF******** *****@TK2MSFTNG P09.phx.gbl...

public override void WriteFullEndEle ment() {
base.WriteEndEl ement();
}

Actually, upon further review, this should've been, ;-)

public override void WriteEndElement ( ) {
base.WriteFullE ndElement( );
}
Derek Harmon

[Clark Spencer]

Thank you Derek!

I'll try this solution as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Clark
-------------------------------------------------

"Derek Harmon" wrote:

"Derek Harmon" <lo*******@msn. com> wrote in message news:OF******** *****@TK2MSFTNG P09.phx.gbl...

public override void WriteFullEndEle ment() {
base.WriteEndEl ement();
}

Actually, upon further review, this should've been, ;-)

public override void WriteEndElement ( ) {
base.WriteFullE ndElement( );
}
Derek Harmon