Read XML as a string from inside XML Document

Question

I have an XMLDocument which i am deserializing into object in my C# code. It works fine until i have nodes like below,

  <Name>ABC</Name>
  <Message>Invalid Name</Message>

In the above scenario what i get inside my C# object would be Name = ABC and Message = Invalid Name .

But now i have a requirement to read a complete XML node inside XMLDocument. Which is like this,

<ReadXML><fetch version="1.0" output-format="xml-platform" mapping="logical" distinct="false">
          <entity name="customerproduct">
            <attribute name="customerproductid" />
            <attribute name="name" />
            <attribute name="createdon" />
            <attribute name="customertype" />
            <attribute name="custodian_customerproductid" />
            <attribute name="accountnumber" />
            <order attribute="name" descending="false" />
            <filter type="and">
              <condition attribute="productgroup" operator="eq" uiname="Credit Cards" uitype="productgroup" value="{12344}" />
              <condition attribute="customer" operator="eq" uiname="abc xyz" uitype="contact" value="{1234}" />
            </filter>
          </entity>
        </fetch></ReadXML>

I have an object ReadXML inside my C# code and i was looking to get complete XML that is inside ReadXML node as an string inside my ReadXML variable.

something like this,

string ReadXML = "<fetch version="1.0" output-format="xml-platform" mapping="logical" distinct="false">
          <entity name="customerproduct">
            <attribute name="customerproductid" />
            <attribute name="name" />
            <attribute name="createdon" />
            <attribute name="customertype" />
            <attribute name="custodian_customerproductid" />
            <attribute name="accountnumber" />
            <order attribute="name" descending="false" />
            <filter type="and">
              <condition attribute="productgroup" operator="eq" uiname="Credit Cards" uitype="productgroup" value="{12344}" />
              <condition attribute="customer" operator="eq" uiname="abc xyz" uitype="contact" value="{1234}" />
            </filter>
          </entity>
        </fetch>"

Inside my Code i am doing this,

 XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();

        doc.Load(@"D:\Development\Framework\TestApplication\XMLScript\XMLScript\XMLFile.xml");


        string XML = doc.InnerXml;
        operationTitle.Text = "Stop Lost Card"; ;
        System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer serializer = new System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer(typeof(MyOperation));
        MemoryStream memStream = new MemoryStream(Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(vrp_XML));
        MyOperation = (MyOperation)serializer.Deserialize(memStream);

And Inside MyOperation Class, i have ReadXML like this,

[XmlElement(ElementName = "ReadXML")]
public string ReadXML { get; set; }

Whenever i try to read the XML into the string i get the following error,

    System.InvalidOperationException was unhandled
  HResult=-2146233079
  Message=There is an error in XML document (1, 1329).
  Source=System.Xml
  StackTrace:
       at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(XmlReader xmlReader, String encodingStyle, XmlDeserializationEvents events)
       at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(Stream stream)
       at VeriTouch.CRM.USD.AgentScripting.AgentScriptingControl.loadData() in C:\Projects\AgentScripting_30102018\AgentScripting\AgentScripting\AgentScriptingControl.xaml.cs:line 323
       at VeriTouch.CRM.USD.AgentScripting.AgentScriptingControl.StartButton_Click(Object sender, RoutedEventArgs e) in C:\Projects\AgentScripting_30102018\AgentScripting\AgentScripting\AgentScriptingControl.xaml.cs:line 304
       at System.Windows.RoutedEventHandlerInfo.InvokeHandler(Object target, RoutedEventArgs routedEventArgs)
       at System.Windows.EventRoute.InvokeHandlersImpl(Object source, RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean reRaised)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEventImpl(DependencyObject sender, RoutedEventArgs args)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEvent(RoutedEventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Controls.Primitives.ButtonBase.OnClick()
       at System.Windows.Controls.Button.OnClick()
       at System.Windows.Controls.Primitives.ButtonBase.OnMouseLeftButtonUp(MouseButtonEventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.OnMouseLeftButtonUpThunk(Object sender, MouseButtonEventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs.InvokeEventHandler(Delegate genericHandler, Object genericTarget)
       at System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs.InvokeHandler(Delegate handler, Object target)
       at System.Windows.RoutedEventHandlerInfo.InvokeHandler(Object target, RoutedEventArgs routedEventArgs)
       at System.Windows.EventRoute.InvokeHandlersImpl(Object source, RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean reRaised)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.ReRaiseEventAs(DependencyObject sender, RoutedEventArgs args, RoutedEvent newEvent)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.OnMouseUpThunk(Object sender, MouseButtonEventArgs e)
       at System.Windows.Input.MouseButtonEventArgs.InvokeEventHandler(Delegate genericHandler, Object genericTarget)
       at System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs.InvokeHandler(Delegate handler, Object target)
       at System.Windows.RoutedEventHandlerInfo.InvokeHandler(Object target, RoutedEventArgs routedEventArgs)
       at System.Windows.EventRoute.InvokeHandlersImpl(Object source, RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean reRaised)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEventImpl(DependencyObject sender, RoutedEventArgs args)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseTrustedEvent(RoutedEventArgs args)
       at System.Windows.UIElement.RaiseEvent(RoutedEventArgs args, Boolean trusted)
       at System.Windows.Input.InputManager.ProcessStagingArea()
       at System.Windows.Input.InputManager.ProcessInput(InputEventArgs input)
       at System.Windows.Input.InputProviderSite.ReportInput(InputReport inputReport)
       at System.Windows.Interop.HwndMouseInputProvider.ReportInput(IntPtr hwnd, InputMode mode, Int32 timestamp, RawMouseActions actions, Int32 x, Int32 y, Int32 wheel)
       at System.Windows.Interop.HwndMouseInputProvider.FilterMessage(IntPtr hwnd, WindowMessage msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam, Boolean& handled)
       at System.Windows.Interop.HwndSource.InputFilterMessage(IntPtr hwnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam, Boolean& handled)
       at MS.Win32.HwndWrapper.WndProc(IntPtr hwnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam, Boolean& handled)
       at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.DispatcherCallbackOperation(Object o)
       at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
       at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(Object source, Delegate callback, Object args, Int32 numArgs, Delegate catchHandler)
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.LegacyInvokeImpl(DispatcherPriority priority, TimeSpan timeout, Delegate method, Object args, Int32 numArgs)
       at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.SubclassWndProc(IntPtr hwnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wParam, IntPtr lParam)
       at MS.Win32.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessage(MSG& msg)
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrameImpl(DispatcherFrame frame)
       at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrame(DispatcherFrame frame)
       at System.Windows.Application.RunDispatcher(Object ignore)
       at System.Windows.Application.RunInternal(Window window)
       at System.Windows.Application.Run(Window window)
       at System.Windows.Application.Run()
       at AgentScripting.App.Main()
       at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(RuntimeAssembly assembly, String[] args)
       at System.AppDomain.ExecuteAssembly(String assemblyFile, Evidence assemblySecurity, String[] args)
       at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly()
       at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)
       at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
       at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()
  InnerException: 
       HResult=-2146232000
       LineNumber=1
       LinePosition=1329
       Message=Unexpected node type Element. ReadElementString method can only be called on elements with simple or empty content. Line 1, position 1329.
       Source=System.Xml
       StackTrace:
            at System.Xml.XmlReader.ReadElementString()
            at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderUSDOperation.Read4_AgentScript(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType)
            at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderUSDOperation.Read5_AgentScripts(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType)
            at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderUSDOperation.Read6_AgentBeginScriptList(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType)
            at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderUSDOperation.Read11_USDStep(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType)
            at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderUSDOperation.Read12_USDSteps(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType)
            at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderUSDOperation.Read13_USDOperation(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType)
            at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderUSDOperation.Read14_USDOperation()
       InnerException: 

-------------------------------EDIT-------------------------------------------

MyOperation.CS class

public class USDOperation
{
    [XmlElement(ElementName = "OperationCode")]
    public string OperationCode { get; set; }

    [XmlElement(ElementName = "OperationName")]
    public string OperationName { get; set; }

    [XmlElement(ElementName = "AuthorizationLevel")]
    public string AuthorizationLevel { get; set; }

    [XmlElement(ElementName = "AgentBeginScriptList")]
    public AgentBeginScriptList AgentBeginScriptList { get; set; }

    [XmlElement(ElementName = "ReadXML")]
    public string ReadXML { get; set; }

    [XmlElement(ElementName = "USDSteps")]
    public USDSteps USDSteps { get; set; }

    [XmlElement(ElementName = "AgentEndScriptList")]
    public AgentEndScriptList AgentEndScriptList { get; set; }
}

Answer 1

The problem is that we cannot serialize/deserialize a complex type to string. Instead we can define our own type and implement IXmlSerializable interface to provide our own implementation.

Below I've defined a MyString class to implement the same. In ReadXml method I'm using innerXml . You may use the outerXml as well.

public class MyString : IXmlSerializable
{
    string _xmlString;
    public XmlSchema GetSchema()
    {
        return null;
    }

    public void ReadXml(XmlReader reader)
    {
        reader.MoveToContent();

        Boolean isEmptyElement = reader.IsEmptyElement;
        if (!isEmptyElement)
        {
            _xmlString = reader.ReadInnerXml();
        }
    }

    public void WriteXml(XmlWriter writer)
    {
        writer.WriteString(_xmlString);
    }
}

The property ReadXML will now be of type MyString instead of string .

[XmlElement(ElementName = "ReadXML")]
public MyString ReadXML { get; set; }

Ref: I got the idea from the following Stackoverflow question https://stackoverflow.com/a/22106996/643318

Answer 2

var xml=File.ReadAllText(@"D:\Development\Framework\TestApplication\XMLScript\XMLScript\XMLFile.xml")

Answer 3

var xml=File.ReadAllText(@"D:\XMLFile.xml");

var xml_l=xml.ToLower();

var ind_1=xml_l.IndexOf("<fetch");
var ind_2=xml_l.IndexOf("</fetch",ind_1);

var xml_fetch=xml.Substring(ind_1, ind_2 - ind_1+8);