C# MVC: How extract values from XML and pass to view

Question

I have a C# MVC application which I need to output the following data to a view:

            <versions>
              <product>true</product>
              <type>city</type>
              <factory name="Demme" url="http://test1.com" thumbnail="http://test3.com/img1" interval="10" />
              <factory name="Vollick" url="http://test2.com" thumbnail="http://test3.com/img1" interval="10" />
              <factory name="Tony" url="http://test3.com" thumbnail="http://test3.com/img1" interval="10" />
            </versions>

The above data comes from a SQL table/column which stores the data as a XML data type. Can somone give me a code example to extract the values of the elements(maybe assign each value to variable) so I can pass it to a view?

So I need to get the values "true" , "City", "Demme" , "http://test1.com", "http://test3.com/img1....and so on.

Whats the best way to present this data to a view?

Answer 1

My idea is to create classes, corresponding to your Xml file, a Version class, a Factory class. Load the xml file, and then pass it to your class that return your data, here is how I do it :

The Version class :

public class Version
{
    public bool IsProduct { get; set; }
    public string City { get; set; }
    public List<Factory> Factories { get; set; }

    //Create a version
    public Version(XElement xVersion)
    {
        IsProduct = Convert.ToBoolean(xVersion.Element("Product").Value);
        City = xVersion.Element("City").Value;
        Factories = Factory.GetFactories(xVersion);
    }

    //Get the list of versions
    public static List<Version> GetVersions(XElement xDocument)
    {
        if (xDocument == null)
            return null;

        List<Version> list = new List<Version>();
        var xVersions = xDocument.Elements("Version");

        foreach (var xVersion in xVersions)
        {
            list.Add(new Version(xVersion));
        }

        return list;
    }
}

The Factory class :

public class Factory
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Url { get; set; }
    public string Thumbnail { get; set; }
    public string Interval { get; set; }

    //Create a factory
    public Factory(XElement xFactory)
    {
        Name = xFactory.Attribute("Name").Value;
        Url = xFactory.Attribute("Url").Value;
        Thumbnail = xFactory.Attribute("Thumbnail").Value;
        Interval = xFactory.Attribute("Interval").Value;
    }

    //Get the factories of a version
    public static List<Factory> GetFactories(XElement xVersion)
    {
        var xFactories = xVersion.Elements("Factory");
        if (xFactories == null)
            return null;

        List<Factory> list = new List<Factory>();

        foreach (var xFactory in xFactories)
        {
            list.Add(new Factory(xFactory));
        }

        return list;
    }
}

And last, in your MCV Controller :

private void myMethod()
    {
        var xDocument = XElement.Load("XmlFilePath");
        var versions = Version.GetVersions(xDocument);

        //And then, pass the -versions- to your typed view ^^
    }

Answer 2

using System.Xml;
    List<string> values= new List<string>();    
    XmlTextReader reader = new XmlTextReader ("books.xml");
    while (reader.Read()) 
    {
           switch (reader.NodeType) 
           {
                   while (reader.MoveToNextAttribute()) // Read the attributes.
                     values.add(reader.Value);
                   break;
         case XmlNodeType.Text: //Display the text in each element.
                     values.add(reader.Value);
                   break;
         case XmlNodeType. EndElement: //Display the end of the element.
          Console.WriteLine(">");
                   break;
           }
       }

Now you have a list of values. Assign it to the model and then use the model to populate the view.