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How to create an Empty XML fileI have an application that must create a new, but empty, XML file on demand.
My original approach was to copy an existing "template XML file" into the new XML file. I found that I needed to pass through each table in the newly created XML file and delete each row. I'm wondering if there is a better way. For example, I can programmatically create the XML file but the problem with this method is that the creation process is within a program. So is there a method that uses a schema to create an empty XML file. If there is, where is it documented? If not, what is suggested? TIA Gus Gus,
Is there a reason you don't want to do this from your program? An XML file is nothing but a text file, so you can simply create a new file with an .xml extension, and you're done. Unless I'm missing something from your post. -Altaf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All that glitters has a high refractive index. www.mendhak.com Show quote "Gus Gustafson" <GusGustaf***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:4C2AC5AF-7CE7-4978-9472-61FCD3059D0B@microsoft.com... >I have an application that must create a new, but empty, XML file on >demand. > My original approach was to copy an existing "template XML file" into the > new > XML file. I found that I needed to pass through each table in the newly > created XML file and delete each row. I'm wondering if there is a better > way. For example, I can programmatically create the XML file but the > problem > with this method is that the creation process is within a program. > > So is there a method that uses a schema to create an empty XML file. If > there is, where is it documented? If not, what is suggested? > > TIA > > Gus > Although I appreciate that I can create the XML file from my program, I would
prefer to define (once) the structure of the XML file in some manner and then use that definition to create an empty XML file (with all of its tables and attributes, only without data). Show quote "S.M. Altaf [MVP]" wrote: > Gus, > > Is there a reason you don't want to do this from your program? An XML file > is nothing but a text file, so you can simply create a new file with an .xml > extension, and you're done. > > Unless I'm missing something from your post. > > -Altaf > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > All that glitters has a high refractive index. > www.mendhak.com > > > "Gus Gustafson" <GusGustaf***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:4C2AC5AF-7CE7-4978-9472-61FCD3059D0B@microsoft.com... > >I have an application that must create a new, but empty, XML file on > >demand. > > My original approach was to copy an existing "template XML file" into the > > new > > XML file. I found that I needed to pass through each table in the newly > > created XML file and delete each row. I'm wondering if there is a better > > way. For example, I can programmatically create the XML file but the > > problem > > with this method is that the creation process is within a program. > > > > So is there a method that uses a schema to create an empty XML file. If > > there is, where is it documented? If not, what is suggested? > > > > TIA > > > > Gus > > > > >
Show quote
"Gus Gustafson" <GusGustaf***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message You could save the empty XML file as a embedded resource in your app and news:4C2AC5AF-7CE7-4978-9472-61FCD3059D0B@microsoft.com... >I have an application that must create a new, but empty, XML file on >demand. > My original approach was to copy an existing "template XML file" into the > new > XML file. I found that I needed to pass through each table in the newly > created XML file and delete each row. I'm wondering if there is a better > way. For example, I can programmatically create the XML file but the > problem > with this method is that the creation process is within a program. > > So is there a method that uses a schema to create an empty XML file. If > there is, where is it documented? If not, what is suggested? then retrieve it and write it out as necessary. Jim, interesting idea. Let me give some thought to that.
Thanks Show quote "Jim Hughes" wrote: > > "Gus Gustafson" <GusGustaf***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:4C2AC5AF-7CE7-4978-9472-61FCD3059D0B@microsoft.com... > >I have an application that must create a new, but empty, XML file on > >demand. > > My original approach was to copy an existing "template XML file" into the > > new > > XML file. I found that I needed to pass through each table in the newly > > created XML file and delete each row. I'm wondering if there is a better > > way. For example, I can programmatically create the XML file but the > > problem > > with this method is that the creation process is within a program. > > > > So is there a method that uses a schema to create an empty XML file. If > > there is, where is it documented? If not, what is suggested? > > You could save the empty XML file as a embedded resource in your app and > then retrieve it and write it out as necessary. > > > You could use the FillSchema method of a dataAdapter to generate a dataset
with one empty table that has all the original table's schema information intact. From there, you could use the dataset's WriteXMLSchema or WriteXML methods to create the actual XML files you seek. Show quote "Gus Gustafson" <GusGustaf***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:4C2AC5AF-7CE7-4978-9472-61FCD3059D0B@microsoft.com... >I have an application that must create a new, but empty, XML file on >demand. > My original approach was to copy an existing "template XML file" into the > new > XML file. I found that I needed to pass through each table in the newly > created XML file and delete each row. I'm wondering if there is a better > way. For example, I can programmatically create the XML file but the > problem > with this method is that the creation process is within a program. > > So is there a method that uses a schema to create an empty XML file. If > there is, where is it documented? If not, what is suggested? > > TIA > > Gus > There are a variety of ways to attack this problem:
1. The template can be empty nodes, which you start populating. 2. The template can only have the important parent nodes, which you append data to 3. You can use a DataSet format and add information that way and then transform with XSLT and stream back out for the user 4. A schema, which is an XML file, can be transformed to become a document. I do not know of an autogen for XML from a schema in .NET proper. I am sure someone has solved this as a third party tool. Try sourceforge.net and see if any open source implementations exist. -- Show quoteGregory A. Beamer MVP; MCP: +I, SE, SD, DBA *********************************************** Think Outside the Box! *********************************************** "Gus Gustafson" <GusGustaf***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:4C2AC5AF-7CE7-4978-9472-61FCD3059D0B@microsoft.com... >I have an application that must create a new, but empty, XML file on >demand. > My original approach was to copy an existing "template XML file" into the > new > XML file. I found that I needed to pass through each table in the newly > created XML file and delete each row. I'm wondering if there is a better > way. For example, I can programmatically create the XML file but the > problem > with this method is that the creation process is within a program. > > So is there a method that uses a schema to create an empty XML file. If > there is, where is it documented? If not, what is suggested? > > TIA > > Gus > Hey, folks thanks for your thoughts. Here's what I came up with as a result
of your inputs. 1. I created an XSD file that defines the XML file. It is currently in a directory that is relative to the location of the executable. I do like Jim's idea (make it a resource) and I'm still thinking about it. 2. When I need to create a new instance of the XML file, I take the following steps: a. data_set = new DataSet ( ) ; b. data_set.ReadXmlSchema ( XDS_path ) ; c. directory = Path.GetDirectoryName ( XML_path ) ; if ( ! Directory.Exists ( directory ) ) { Directory.CreateDirectory ( directory ) ; } d. data_set.WriteXmlSchema ( XML_path ) ; 3. Massage the newly created XML file using ReadXml and WriteXml. The only thing that I needed to remember (and forgot) was to check table.Rows.Count before trying to perform DataRow row = table.Rows [ 0 ] ; Thought I'd pass it on. Thanks for everyones help. Regards, Gus One additional item.
When reading the XML file into a data set, use one of the ReadXML overloads that includes the ReadXmlMode parameter set to ReadSchema. For example, data_set.ReadXml ( path, XmlReadMode.ReadSchema ) ; Likewise, when writing to the XML file from the data set, use one of the WriteXML overloads that includes the WriteXmlMode parameter set to WriteSchema. For example, data_set.WriteXml ( path, XmlWriteMode.WriteSchema ) ; Again, thanks to all for the help. Gus  |
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