Reading an XML file using C#

[CSF90]

Hey all

Been writing an application which needs to read an XML file, and then use its contents to populate a listbox and certain other variables. In this case, I wish to populate a Listbox with all elements called 'name'. I had this working with the previous way in which my XML file was set up, but I was told that it wasn't a good way of writing it, so I re-wrote it as follows.

<root>
	<software>
		<software_entry
		name="Adobe Acrobat X Standard"
		path="Applications\Acrobat\Acrobat X Standard - M3\AcroStan.msi" 
		type="msi"
		switches="/qn ALLUSERS=1"
		/>
		
		<software_entry
		name="Adobe Acrobat X Professional"
		path="Applications\Acrobat\Acrobat X Pro - M3\AcroPro.msi"
		type="msi"
		switches="/qn ALLUSERS=1"
		/>
	</software>
</root>

And now, the C# code that will read it and populate a List<>, and therefore a listbox.

        private void ReadXMLFile()
        {
            var doc = new XmlDocument();
            doc.Load(Application.StartupPath + @"\config.xml");
            foreach (XmlElement match in doc.SelectNodes("/software/software_entry_name"))
                _unselected.Add(match.InnerText);
        }

        private void HookComponentEvents()
        {
            Load += (sender, e) =>
            {
                listBox1.DataSource = _unselected;
                listBox2.DataSource = _selected;
            };
            addSoftwareBtn.Click += (sender, e) => { MoveSelectedItem(_unselected, _selected); };
            removeSoftwareBtn.Click += (sender, e) => { MoveSelectedItem(_selected, _unselected); };
        }

It compiles fine, but nothing is added to listBox1. Am I missing something blindingly obvious?

Thanks.

[CSF90]

Sorry, forgot to say I am using .NET 3.5

[Arjay]

Put a breakpoint on the line

_unselected.Add(match.InnerText);

Press F5, does your breakpoint get hit?

[CSF90]

Put a breakpoint on the line

_unselected.Add(match.InnerText);

Press F5, does your breakpoint get hit?

Thanks for the reply, but nope, it doesn't.

Edit: Sorry, by hit, you mean does it run? Because it's not flagged up, it just runs as normal.
I took 'hit' to mean flagged up and the program stops, but you could've meant does the program 'hit' it and then continue to run.

[Chris_F]

maybe I'm missing something here, but shouldn't it be

foreach (XmlElement match in doc.SelectNodes("root/software/software_entry_name"))

[CSF90]

maybe I'm missing something here, but shouldn't it be

foreach (XmlElement match in doc.SelectNodes("root/software/software_entry_name"))

My understanding is that "/" looks in the root automatically, whereas // is used to define a starting node.

So "/software" is the same as "root/software". Just in case, I tested as root/software and still nothing. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Arjay]

Looking at the xml, it should be

/root/software/software_entry

not

/root/software/software_entry_name

[Silent Sojourner]

                foreach (XmlElement match in doc.SelectNodes("/root/software/software_entry"))
                {
                    _unselected.Add(match.OuterXml);
                }

Tested working under .net 3.5

[CSF90]

                foreach (XmlElement match in doc.SelectNodes("/root/software/software_entry"))
                {
                    _unselected.Add(match.OuterXml);
                }

Tested working under .net 3.5

Thanks, we're a step closer but it adds all of the XML, rather than just the 'name' of the software (e.g. Adobe Acrobat X Professional).

Screenshot.

[Silent Sojourner]

Sorry I didn't read your post carefully. In that case, just replace the statement in the for loop with this:

_unselected.Add(match.Attributes["name"].Value);

[CSF90]

Sorry I didn't read your post carefully. In that case, just replace the statement in the for loop with this:

_unselected.Add(match.Attributes["name"].Value);

Ah, that's the one! I just needed to know the syntax used to access an attribute within a node when the format was at it is in my XML file.

Thanks very much!