Using Linq to XML instead of XML Reader/Writer

Question

I am trying to create a simple tool to parse an xml file and if/when a certain element is found it gets the value and then executes code using that value and then the executed code outputs a new value and then it is replaced and a new XML file is saved. It has proven to be alot more difficult then it seems to be worth.

Right now I am using a combination of XML reader and XML writer. It is very verbose and I seem to be having small issues, that are way to difficult to fix. You can see an example of my previous approach and it's code here.

I am wondering if someone can help me figure out how to use Linq to XML to do this job. I need to sift through the XML of the original document looking for "ClInclude" and "ClCompile" and when they are found I need to execute code and replace those attributes string with a new value. For a better example of what I am accomplishing, you can check the post prior to the last.

I have made many attempts and decided to ditch the reader/writer for good. Can anyone help me accomplish this? Here is an attempt I have made at the Linq to XML:

                string baseDir = (textBox2.Text + "\" + safeFileName);
                string vcName = Path.GetFileName(textBox1.Text);
                string vcProj = Path.Combine(baseDir, vcName);

                XDocument xmlDoc = XDocument.Load(textBox1.Text);

                var items = from item in xmlDoc.Elements()
                            select item;

                foreach (XElement itemElement in items)
                {
                    if (itemElement.Name == "ClInclude")
                    {
                        // itemElement.SetElementValue("Include", "include/");
                        textBox3.AppendText(itemElement.Value);
                    }

                }

                xmlDoc.Save(vcProj);

Right now I am just appending them to a textbox, just to test it. I cannot seem to bring back any elements with Clinclude or ClCompile. Here is an example of the lines I am trying to get the value of and replace:

Here is a full example of the XML I am parsing:



  
    
      Debug
      Win32
    
    
      Release
      Win32
    
  
  
    {57900E99-A405-49F4-83B2-0254117D041B}
    Win32Proj
    libprojx
  
  
  
    DynamicLibrary
    true
    MultiByte
    v110
  
  
    DynamicLibrary
    false
    true
    MultiByte
    v110
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
    
  
  
  
    true
  
  
    false
  
  
    
      
      
      Level3
      MaxSpeed
      WIN32;projx_EXPORTS;_DEBUG;_WINDOWS;_USRDLL;LIBprojx_EXPORTS;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)
      ..\..\Win32;..\..\lib;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)
      Default
      ProgramDatabase
    
    
      Windows
      true
      ..\..\..\..\Debug;%(AdditionalLibraryDirectories)
      libdirect.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)
    
  
  
    
      Level3
      
      
      MaxSpeed
      true
      true
      WIN32;projx_EXPORTS;NDEBUG;_WINDOWS;_USRDLL;LIBprojx_EXPORTS;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)
      ..\..\Win32;..\..\lib;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)
    
    
      Windows
      true
      true
      true
      ..\..\..\..\Debug;%(AdditionalLibraryDirectories)
      libdirect.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)

IDeveloper · Accepted Answer

First you need to find your ClInclude, as I understood: var includs = xdoc.Descendants("ClInclude") will give you all ClInclude. If you need specific ClInclude with some special Include attribute value you do it like that:

var specificInclude = xdoc.Descendants("ClInclude")
      .Where(inc => inc.Attribute("Include").Value == yourValue).FirstOrDefault();

Next you need to replace Include attribute value with new one like this:

specificInclude.Attribute("Include").Value = newValue;

Full sample for console app:

string xml = @"";

var newxDoc = XDocument.Parse(xml);

Console.WriteLine("Before");
Console.WriteLine(newxDoc.ToString());

var s = newxDoc.Descendants("ClInclude").Where(b => b.Attribute("id").Value == "2").FirstOrDefault();
s.Attribute("id").Value = "3";

Console.WriteLine("After");
Console.WriteLine(newxDoc.ToString());
Console.ReadLine();

Hope that helps!

Using Linq to XML instead of XML Reader/Writer

Answers (1)

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