I'm trying to serialize an XML file returned from a SOAP API service. The issue is that they have defined an array of objects as such:
<soap_xml>
...
<item __array="true">
<some_property>text here<some_property/>
</item>
<item>
<some_property>text here<some_property/>
</item>
...
</soap_xml>
Is there anyway to use the XmlSerializer to condense this down into an array when deserializing this XML file, or will I have to process the entire XML file manually. I'm not keen on having to process the XML manually, since it has over 100 different properties/fields, but if there is no other solution, then I'll have to use a XMLReader and write a custom serializer.
Also, asking the API provider to change the format of the returned XML is out of the question.
You'll need to define a class that follows the schema of the XML file - do you have a schema from the API provider? If so, you could use xsd.exe to generate a class file that can load it.
Alternatively, you'll need to annotate your own class with the appropriate XML attributes that follows the format.
Related
Below Example How can Get "Airtel" and "145" Values, because my Client Has given this type XML Response
So How Can I Get both Values
<item item="Campaign name" type="string">Airtel</item>
<item item="Daily Limit" type="number">145</item>
As per the comment, we would need to see the full XML to give you a more complete answer. But you have 3 real options :
XMLReader. Probably not what you want as it's forward only and involves a lot of manual parsing.
XMLDocument. Not a bad option if you only want limited amount of notes and want their values and don't want to deserialize the entire XML doc.
XMLSerializer. Good if you want to deserialize the entire object straight from XML to class without you having to do a heck of a lot.
If you edit your question to include the full XML doc, then I can give you a more complete answer or you can read about your options for parsing XML here : https://dotnetcoretutorials.com/2020/04/23/how-to-parse-xml-in-net-core/
I have the following scenarios for output from a web service (the output's type is string, but the content of the string is XML).
When the service didn't succeed the output is:
<root>
<exec_id>2053c884-beec-4c33-af64-bce8c4a8601c</exec_id>
<ERROR_CODE>-13</ERROR_CODE>
<OUTPUT_XML>Policy GO Period is mistaken (Mar 9 2016 8:43PM, Mar 6 2017 11:59PM)</OUTPUT_XML>
</root>
When the service returns something, the response is:
<root>
<exec_id>9a506024-8996-4f17-bcc4-a4616b2c28da</exec_id>
<ERROR_CODE>0</ERROR_CODE>
<OUTPUT_XML>
<root>
<ProposalNo>000334374</ProposalNo>
<InsPremium>225.40</InsPremium>
<InsDuePremium>241.310</InsDuePremium>
<FeesInfo>
<Fee>
<PaymentDate>2016-03-09T16:08:34.613</PaymentDate>
<FeeSum>241.31</FeeSum>
<FeeSumCurCode>BGN</FeeSumCurCode>
<AgencyCode>001</AgencyCode>
</Fee>
</FeesInfo>
<ERROR_MSG>Успешно изпълнена процедура</ERROR_MSG>
</root>
</OUTPUT_XML>
</root>
So, based on this, I created a base class that contains exec_id and ERROR_CODE, because they are common for all responses. Now the problem is OUTPUT_XML, because it's a different object every time so I have a successor class for each method of the service. The problem is when the service returns an error message in the OUTPUT_XML. My question is how to handle this in the best possible way?
Is the service under your control? (Not sure if that's a constraint.)
There are no attributes that will allow out-of-the-box deserialization of the XML in both scenarios above. You could write some custom serialization but that would be overkill.
If the service is yours then you could define a response class and serialize that. If you can serialize it then you can deserialize it. Then in your response XML you have an element for the output and an element for an error message, not one element which may contain either. The contents of XML should be more predictable. That's why we use schemas. But using a class to serialize and deserialize accomplishes the same thing. The XML will be predictable.
You could also get the InnerXml property of the <OUTPUT_XML> node and if it begins with <root> then deserialize that string is a separate XML document. That's logical since that's what they're actually giving you - an XML document as string inside of an XML document.
Or, as was said, if the error code is reliable indicator then you could just read that first.
XmlWriter.WriteRaw will preserve ' and not send an actual apostrophe. Is there a method to read in ' and keep it as such?
You need to encode it properly. Let's take for example the following XML:
<root>'</root>
The value of the <root> node is ' no matter which XML parser you use to read this XML.
On the other hand if you have the following XML:
<root>'</root>
the value of the <root> node is '.
So in both cases we have properly encoded XML so that when a standard compliant parser reads it, it is able to correctly retrieve the value.
So be very careful when using the WriteRaw method when generating the XML. Since it properly encode the argument it is now your responsibility to ensure that you are passing correct data to it.
I have a web service that takes a single string parameter.
In my case I need to send a string which is an xml document where one of its elements contains an xml fragment (which I will use to create a file).
So for example I am sending:
<people>
<person>
<name>J Smith</name>
<value><![CDATA[<content>rest of xml document here</content>]]></value>
</person>
</people>
I used .. to create an xml file.
I was wondering if there is a better way to do this rather than using CDATA?. The CDATA files are very small (less than 20KB).
JD
There is no need to use CDATA. You can pass the xml fragment directly as is.
See, for example, http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480498.aspx
UPDATE:
Steve pointed out that you have a string parameter not XmlElement parameter. I'm not sure if it would still work that way (though I feel like it could :).
Another option besides CDATA and Base64 would be Xml encoding, e.g.
var xml = new XmlDocument();
var node = xml.CreateElement("root");
node.InnerText = "<content>Anything</content>";
var xmlString = node.InnerXml; /// <content>Anything</content>
I'd suggest Base64-Encoding the XML fragment.
How about a standard HTTP POST using Mutipart/Form-Data ? Make the single parameter part of the url or querystring.
This is the more "RESTful" way of doing things.
It's just a standard file upload.
I have to read the XML:
<items>
<item>
<prop1>value1</prop1>
<prop2>value2</prop2>
<prop3>value3</prop3>
</item>
<item>
<prop1>value1</prop1>
<prop2>value2</prop2>
<prop3>value3</prop3>
</item>
</items>
And put the values into a List<CLASS>.
Some options:
Use XMLSerializer to deserialize to a List
Use XMLDocument to read each item using SelectNodes with XPath and put the values into a List
Use XMLReader to read each node and put the values into a List
Other option...
By far the fastest that I have seen is to use XSD.exe to create an XSD and Class to go with it, then use serialization.
Another option would be to use LinqToXml.
If you're in dotnet, install the WCF starter pack. Then you'll have an option "Paste XML as Types", so you can cut the XML you're looking to serialize into the clipboard and paste it into code as a serializable type. Then you can just serialize the XML and get the values through the class.