XML Parsing

In VC++ is there any inbuilt class for storying values inside an XML File, without using CLI?

One option is to use XmlLite which is quite easy. (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...(v=vs.85).aspx).
See also XmlLite Samples.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maverick786us

In VC++ is there any inbuilt class for storying values inside an XML File, without using CLI?

---

No, any inbuilt one does not exist. You have to use some library to deal with XML. (In fact this is the way C/C++ deal with anything else.)

Full-fledged lib from MS: MSXML

Probably, the word "inbuilt" used here is not very clear for me. :)
So let me try do detail a little bit by quoting from MSDN:

• Quote:

  ---

  The XmlLite runtime file, Xmllite.dll, is integrated into the following operating systems and products:
  

  • Windows 8
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows 7.
  • Windows Server 2008
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows XP with Service Pack 3 or later.
  • Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 or later.
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 and later.

  ---

• Quote:

  ---

  To build applications with XmlLite, you must install the XmlLite development files, Xmllite.lib and Xmllite.h.
  [...]they are only provided in the Windows SDK for Vista.
  [...]You do not have to install the entire Windows SDK to get Xmllite.lib and Xmllite.h. To get Xmllite.lib and Xmllite.h...

  ---

All details can be found here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...(v=vs.85).aspx

Indeed MSXML parser may be a better option, but can scare the C++ programmers which don't know too much about using COM components.
Dealing with Xmllite is easier and good enough in many cases.

there are other libraries as well.

There's a basic xml lib in boost

if your expected xml is simple enough, you can even write your own parser in a couple hundred lines of code (been there, done that), but things can quite quickly get difficult if you need to deal with namespaces, different character encoding, DTD's, Entities, if you need to worry about formatting, or need to handle special features like CData, and/or if you need to care about valid, yet awkward/unusual xml.

the thing you'd need to worry about first is if you want a SAX/Streaming approach, or a DOM/load everything type approach.
with SAX, the xml is read and your app is called into via a callback mechanism each time a tag is found, the xml is never loaded entirely, and you only see each tag once.
with DOM, the xml is loaded into memory, and you can then do queries (usually XPath, but some libs have their own built in method/script) to extract the data you need.

Both approaches have benefits and disadvantages.

I have experimented with a number of XML parsers and have become sold on XmlLite.

Pretty simple to use.

Code:

---

#include <xmllite.h>
#pragma comment (lib, "xmllite.lib")

class MyXmlParser
{
//
    IStream *pFileStream;
    IXmlReader *pReader;
    XmlNodeType nodeType;
    IStream *pOutFileStream;
    IXmlWriter *pWriter;
//

};

---

The examples cited above are very good.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike Pliam

I have experimented with a number of XML parsers and have become sold on XmlLite.

Pretty simple to use.

Code:

---

#include <xmllite.h>
#pragma comment (lib, "xmllite.lib")

class MyXmlParser
{
//
    IStream *pFileStream;
    IXmlReader *pReader;
    XmlNodeType nodeType;
    IStream *pOutFileStream;
    IXmlWriter *pWriter;
//

};

---

The examples cited above are very good.

---

Is this the best? What I am looking for is a light weight class that can be easily exported in a Win 32 DLL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maverick786us

Is this the best? What I am looking for is a light weight class that can be easily exported in a Win 32 DLL

---

Who knows what could be "the best" for you? :confused:
However, it is pretty easy to use. Just try the XmlLite Samples:
Read an XML Document using XmlLite
Write an XML Document using XmlLite

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maverick786us

Is this the best? What I am looking for is a light weight class that can be easily exported in a Win 32 DLL

---

I wander Are You Really Serious? Best? Lightweight? Easy? YES! MSXML is really the best, ligtweight and easy to use. For me. And I don't care if it does the same for you. Does this fact matter anyhow for YOU? Please stop bogging us with irrelevant questions of the kind. Ans let's get technical, for the sake of all of us.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Igor Vartanov

I wander Are You Really Serious? Best? Lightweight? Easy? YES! MSXML is really the best, ligtweight and easy to use. For me. And I don't care if it does the same for you. Does this fact matter anyhow for YOU? Please stop bogging us with irrelevant questions of the kind. Ans let's get technical, for the sake of all of us.

---

I mean there are so many 3rd party SDKs and classes for XML parsing. By light weight I mean that it should have minimal dependency DLLs and classes, when I deploy it on my client's PC. I agree that the solutions that you have provided are all excellent examples

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maverick786us

I mean there are so many 3rd party SDKs and classes for XML parsing. By light weight I mean that it should have minimal dependency DLLs and classes, when I deploy it on my client's PC.

---

Then I'd use one of the MSFT product.

XML Light is something that is desinged for Window 8.1 and above. Can someone show me a simple code snippt where I can save these values in an XML File?

Code:

---

Encryption enable = Yes
Color Code = 0x66655
Display Frames = Yes
Highlighted spam sites = No
Context Sensitive warning = No
HW ID = XXXXX
Status = Yes
Product Serial Number = EEFSE-WEXXE-WVRX-FRDXD
Operating System Version = Windows 8.1

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maverick786us

XML Light is something that is desinged for Window 8.1 and above.

---

Really? :confused:
Then how could I use it about two years back in my Windows XP SP3 computer? :D

Please, have a look at the post#4.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VictorN

Really? :confused:
Then how could I use it about two years back in my Windows XP SP3 computer? :D

Please, have a look at the post#4.

---

Sorry about that. I don't know if this XML Light automatically decides a format. But can you demonstrate with code sample, on how I can save the below values in XML file?

Code:

---

Encryption enable = Yes
Color Code = 0x66655
Display Frames = Yes
Highlighted spam sites = No
Context Sensitive warning = No
HW ID = XXXXX
Status = Yes
Product Serial Number = EEFSE-WEXXE-WVRX-FRDXD
Operating System Version = Windows 8.1

---

Did you try the Microsoft sample code for writing?
https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/XmlL...hId=1720047283
There is a code and there is a XML-file example.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VictorN

Did you try the Microsoft sample code for writing?
https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/XmlL...hId=1720047283
There is a code and there is a XML-file example.

---

I used this sample code. But It didn't write anything into this sample XML File that I created.

Code:

---

#include <ole2.h>
#include <xmllite.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <shlwapi.h>

#pragma warning(disable : 4127)  // conditional expression is constant
#define CHKHR(stmt)            do { hr = (stmt); if (FAILED(hr)) goto CleanUp; } while(0)
#define HR(stmt)                do { hr = (stmt); goto CleanUp; } while(0)
#define SAFE_RELEASE(I)        do { if (I){ I->Release(); } I = NULL; } while(0)

int __cdecl wmain(int argc, _In_reads_(argc) WCHAR* argv[])
{
    HRESULT hr = S_OK;
    IStream *pOutFileStream = NULL;
    IXmlWriter *pWriter = NULL;

    if (argc != 2)
    {
        wprintf(L"Usage: XmlLiteWriter.exe name-of-output-file\n");
        return 0;
    }

    //Open writeable output stream
    if (FAILED(hr = SHCreateStreamOnFile(argv[1], STGM_CREATE | STGM_WRITE, &pOutFileStream)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error creating file writer, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = CreateXmlWriter(__uuidof(IXmlWriter), (void**) &pWriter, NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error creating xml writer, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->SetOutput(pOutFileStream)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: SetOutput, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->SetProperty(XmlWriterProperty_Indent, TRUE)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: SetProperty XmlWriterProperty_Indent, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartDocument(XmlStandalone_Omit)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartDocument, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    // if you want to use a DTD using either the SYSTEM or PUBLIC identifiers,
    // or if you want to use an internal DTD subset, you can modify the following
    // call to WriteDocType.
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteDocType(L"root", NULL, NULL, NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteDocType, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteProcessingInstruction(L"xml-stylesheet",
        L"href=\"mystyle.css\" title=\"Compact\" type=\"text/css\"")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteProcessingInstruction, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"root", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"sub", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteAttributeString(NULL, L"myAttr", NULL,
                                                  L"1234")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteAttributeString, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteString(
              L"Markup is <escaped> for this string")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteString, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteFullEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteFullEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"anotherChild", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteString(L"some text")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteString, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteFullEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteFullEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteCData(L"This is CDATA text.")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteCData, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"containsCharacterEntity", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteCharEntity(L'a')))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteCharEntity, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteFullEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteFullEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"containsChars", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteChars(L"abcdefghijklm", 5)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteChars, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteFullEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteFullEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"containsEntity", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteEntityRef(L"myEntity")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteEntityRef, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"containsName", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteName(L"myName")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteName, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteStartElement(NULL, L"containsNmToken", NULL)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteStartElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteNmToken(L"myNmToken")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteNmToken, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteComment(L"This is a comment")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteComment, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteRaw(L"<elementWrittenRaw/>")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteRaw, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteRawChars(L"<rawCharacters/>", 16)))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteRawChars, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteElementString(NULL, L"myElement", NULL, L"myValue")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteElementString, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteFullEndElement()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteFullEndElement, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteWhitespace(L"\n")))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteWhitespace, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

    // WriteEndDocument closes any open elements or attributes
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->WriteEndDocument()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: WriteEndDocument, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }
    if (FAILED(hr = pWriter->Flush()))
    {
        wprintf(L"Error, Method: Flush, error is %08.8lx", hr);
        HR(hr);
    }

CleanUp:
    SAFE_RELEASE(pOutFileStream);
    SAFE_RELEASE(pWriter);
    return hr;
}

---

These are the contents of the XML File that I created.

Code:

---

<!-- Edited by XMLSpy -->
<note>
<to>Tove</to>
<from>Jani</from>
<heading>Encryption Information</heading>
<body>CryptoColor enable (Y / N)</body>
<body>CryptoColor (HEX color code)</body>
<body>Display Frames = Yes</body>
<body>Highlighted spam sites = No</body>
<body>Context Sensitive warning = No</body>
<body>HW ID = XXXXX</body>
<body>Product Serial Number = EEFSE-WEXXE-WVRX-FRDXD</body>
<body>Operating System Version = Windows 8.1</body>
</note>

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maverick786us

I used this sample code. But It didn't write anything into this sample XML File that I created.

---

Did you debug this code to be sure there is no any error?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by VictorN

Did you debug this code to be sure there is no any error?

---

There was no error. It went through each and every section. But I didn't see any change in the XML file

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maverick786us

I used this sample code. But It didn't write anything into this sample XML File that I created.

---

This is what your code writes:

Code:

---

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE root>
<?xml-stylesheet href="mystyle.css" title="Compact" type="text/css"?>
<root>
  <sub myAttr="1234">Markup is &lt;escaped&gt; for this string</sub>
  <anotherChild>some text</anotherChild>
<![CDATA[This is CDATA text.]]>
<containsCharacterEntity>&#x61;</containsCharacterEntity>
<containsChars>abcde</containsChars>
<containsEntity>&myEntity;</containsEntity>
<containsName>myName</containsName>
<containsNmToken>myNmToken</containsNmToken>
<!--This is a comment-->
<elementWrittenRaw/>
<rawCharacters/>
<myElement>myValue</myElement></root>

---

Quote:

---

These are the contents of the XML File that I created.

Code:

---

<!-- Edited by XMLSpy -->
<note>
<to>Tove</to>
<from>Jani</from>
<heading>Encryption Information</heading>
<body>CryptoColor enable (Y / N)</body>
<body>CryptoColor (HEX color code)</body>
<body>Display Frames = Yes</body>
<body>Highlighted spam sites = No</body>
<body>Context Sensitive warning = No</body>
<body>HW ID = XXXXX</body>
<body>Product Serial Number = EEFSE-WEXXE-WVRX-FRDXD</body>
<body>Operating System Version = Windows 8.1</body>
</note>

---

---

I don't see how this above could be considered an XML file.

as with many things in software development.
there rarely is a "best". if there was, then it would be only that one thing, because why use anything other than "best" ?

So there's libraries that offer advantages to another library and different approaches.

if your problem is easily solved with a streaming approach, then that would be the prefered route, even though DOM would work also.
if your problem is easier with DOM, then it's likely going to be hard (if near impossible) to solve wiht a streaming approach.

DOM has the disadvantage that it needs to load and parse the entire XML up front. and so it needs a lot of memory (at least as much as the xml file, probably more).
a streaming solution has the advantage of not loading the entire file up front.

so is xmllite "best". no. it could be for your particular problem, and be totally unusable/unfeasible for your next app where you need to use XML.