CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#xmltextboxpopulate
J.C.Morris
J.C.Morris

Reputation: 803

C# : Populating form fields based on user selection using an XML file

On my form, I have 2 fields set up. Location of item, and sub-area. I am trying to populate the sub-area field based on what location the user chooses. For instance, they choose "Location 4". The only 3 sub-areas for that location are, lets say, A, B, and C. Upon selection in the location box, the sub-area box will only display A, B, and C. I have all the locations and allowed sub areas in an xml file called appsettings.xml. How do I get the program to read in the xml file and allow the sub area field to only be populated with valid data? Below is an example of how I have my xml file set up.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> 
 <MerchandiseTrack>

   <Merchandise_Zones Application_Data="Test-Run">

      <KeyBoard_App>
        <AppString>c windows osk.exe</AppString> 
      </KeyBoard_App>

 <Storage_Location>

     <head id="Location">                // Name of box on app
       <body id="04">                    // Name of Location within the box
         <Sub-Area>A, B, C,</Sub-Area>   // Allowed sub-areas
       </body>
     </head>

     <head id="Location">                // Name of box on app  
      <body id="05">                     //Name of Location within the box
         <Sub-Area>P, L, R, B</Sub-Area> // Allowed sub-areas 
      </body>
     </head>

     <head id="Location">                // Name of box on app
      <body id="14">                     //Name of Location within the box
       <Sub-Area>A, X, C </Sub-Area>     //Name of Location within the box
      </body>
    </head>

  </Storage_Location>
 </Merchandise_Zones>
</MerchandiseTrack>

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1251

Answers (2)

Jan
Jan

Reputation: 2168

You set a event on SelectedIndexChanged. Then you read the locationID and select the node from your file: 

        XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
        doc.Load(@"path/to/file.xml");
        XmlNode subarea = doc.SelectSingleNode("/MerchandiseTrack/Merchandise_Zones/Storage_Location/head/body[@id=" + locationComboBox.SelectedItem.ToString()+ "]/Sub-Area");
        string[] areas = subarea.InnerText.Split(',');
        foreach (string area in areas)
        {
           subAreaComboBox.Items.Add(area);
        }

That includes that you do not (!) have a trailing comma on your list (as you have with your first location at the moment. If so, you have to extend the code to remove it.

Upvotes: 1

Echilon
Echilon

Reputation: 10264

There are a fair few steps involved. I'd use XDocument.Load to load the document, then you'll need to bind it to the UI. If using WPF, some derivative of ItemsControl to enter the values, but the fact you mentioned TextBoxes is cause for caution. The same is even more true in ASP.NET, as all controls will need to be recreated, given the same ID and re-added to the page while loading ViewState in order for you to access them.

When you bind/recreate them, the key is to ensure all of the ID/Name attributes stay the same.

My personal experience has always been that dynamic controls in WPF are fiddle, but in ASP.NET are pretty difficult to get working properly.

Upvotes: 0

Related Questions