XML and a DataGrid

[hodgesp]

Hidy Ho Neighbors!

I just started a new c# web project. I am going to create an XML file via user input. I have been working with .net and c# for about a year but this is my first forray into xml. I need some help.

I am able to create the XML file insert tags with text values and even attributes via text boxes.

My issue is that I get to one of the sections I'm creating and I need to insert new data in tags that don't exisit in the xml file as yet, from a datagrid. The dataGrid has 4 columnms. Two button columns and two text box columns.

I need to input cost values in one of the text columns and a text description in the other. How do I pass that to the XML file. I want the Cost value to be an attribute and the text to be the description. I will need to add a dynamic number of rows. this is the format I thought would work. Depending on how many rows the users enters.

<cost value="100.01"> This is text to describ the cost value</cost>
<cost value="200.02"> This is text to describ the next cost value</cost>
......more if needed

Then I will want to be able to load it back from the XML file later for editing.




.

[dorinbogdan]

See these articles:
Creating a XML document and
Manipulate XML File Data.

[hodgesp]

I read those articles, but they didn't answer all my questions. for one: How do I add Child Nodes From a DataGrid into and XML document under a specific node. I tried

XmlNodeList s1 = doc.GetElementsByTagName("Sections2");

But I can't seem to use it so I canj insert the child nodes within that node as a parent.

What I get is this.

<Root>
 <section1>
   <text> this is Section 1 text</text>
 </section1>
 <section2>
     <text> this is some text </text>
 </section2>
 <cost value="99.99"> this is cost descr text</cost>
 <cost value="100.25"> this is cost descr text 2</cost>
 <section3>
  <text> section 3 text </text>
 </section3>
</Root>
 

What I want is: (Note Section2)

<Root>
 <section1>
   <text> this is Section 1 text</text>
 </section1>
 <section2>
     <text> this is some text </text>
     <cost value="99.99"> this is cost descr text</cost>
     <cost value="100.25"> this is cost descr text 2</cost> 
 </section2>
 <section3>
   <text> section 3 text </text>
 </section3>
 </Root>
 

You see I'm creating a cost estimating wizard and I need to be able to add the main text within each section and if needed cost Child Nodes, with text descriptions within the sections.

[dorinbogdan]

Try this code (but update doc.Load(...) and doc.Save(...) with your path/file):

    XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
    doc.Load(@"d:\temp\doc.xml");
    XmlNode s2 = doc.SelectSingleNode("/Root/section2");
    XmlElement cost = null;
    XmlAttribute valattrib = null;
    // Create New cost XML Element 
    cost = doc.CreateElement("cost");
    // New Attribute 
    valattrib = doc.CreateAttribute("value");
    // Value given for the new attribute
    valattrib.Value = "99.99";
    // Attach the attribute to the XML element
    cost.SetAttributeNode(valattrib);
    // Value given for the cost element
    cost.InnerText = "this is cost descr text";
    s2.AppendChild(cost);
 
    // Create New cost XML Element 
    cost = doc.CreateElement("cost");
    // New Attribute 
    valattrib = doc.CreateAttribute("value");
    // Value given for the new attribute
    valattrib.Value = "100.25";
    // Attach the attribute to the XML element
    cost.SetAttributeNode(valattrib);
    // Value given for the cost element
    cost.InnerText = "this is cost descr text 2" ;
    s2.AppendChild(cost);
 
    doc.Save(@"d:\temp\doc2.xml");
 

[dorinbogdan]

Hi,
Did you succeed to solve the problem ?
If yes, please let me know, in order to close the thread.
Thanks,
Dorin.

[hodgesp]

Sorry I haven't gotten back to this in so long.

The Code Worked as far as creating the correct structure. Thank You Very Much for that. I need to be able to bind the Data to a Data Grid for editing though.