XML file/stream processing

Sample Image

Introduction

This DLL provides routines to manipulate XML files. The set provided is not all-singing-and-dancing, but a useful, small collection. Several co-operating executables living off a common XML file may find their operating parameters and set parameters for others.

Background

Initially, the read functions were implemented to save incorporating the large overhead of using a proprietary interface. From this grew a certain understanding of the mechanism. Then were added write and delete routines; stream routines that allowed the user program to supply and recover the XML data (without using disk files); some super (i.e., over-arching) routines to shrink the user's code.

Using the code

VC 6.0 projects: Place the XMJDLL.dll in a directory on your path variable. Add the library XMJDLL.lib to the project resources. Add the module XMJcalls.h to the project. Use the routines therein.

VB 6.0 projects: Register the XMJDLL.dll with regsvr32. Add the module XMJDLL.bas to the project. Use the public routines therein.

//
// Sample source to produce the above file
//
  XMJ_newFile("Order");

  XMJ_getFrstGroup("Order",0);
  XMJ_newAttPutVal("number","1234");

  XMJ_pokeNewGrpPutVal("Date","2000/1/1");
  XMJ_newGrpPutVal("Customer","Acme Ltd");
  XMJ_newAttPutVal("ID","1234A");

  XMJ_getFrstGroup("Order",0);
  XMJ_newGroup("ITEM");
  XMJ_getFrstGroup("ITEM",1);
  XMJ_newAttPutVal("ID","01");
  XMJ_newGrpPutVal("Part-number","E16-25A");
  XMJ_newAttPutVal("warehouse","Warehouse11");
  XMJ_getFrstGroup("ITEM",1);
  XMJ_pokeNewGrpPutVal("Description","Production-Class Widget A");
  XMJ_newGrpPutVal("Quantity","16");

  XMJ_getFrstGroup("Order",0);
  XMJ_newGroup("ITEM");
  XMJ_getLastGroup("ITEM",1);
  XMJ_newAttPutVal("ID","02");
  XMJ_newGrpPutVal("Part-number","E23-45B");
  XMJ_newAttPutVal("warehouse","Warehouse11");
  XMJ_getLastGroup("ITEM",1);
  XMJ_pokeNewGrpPutVal("Description","Production-Class Widget B");
  XMJ_newGrpPutVal("Quantity","12");

  XMJ_writeFile(fileName);

Points of Interest

For C/C++ only users, a static library can be built using workspace and project files provided.
The private routines in the XMJDLL.bas module are to get around C/C++ <-> VB differences.
The implementation of 'false' (C/C++ 0, VB -1).
VB string addresses to C/C++ routines.
VB return-string-parameter is handled in the DLL.

History

3.5 Corrections to XMJ_deProfundis.
3.4 Encryption and catch up XM8.
- New XMJ_crypt_vb.zip - demonstration of TEA encryption applied to XML files.
- Four new encryption routines to implement Tiny Encryption Algorithm (TEA).
- XMJ_sNew.cpp - new loop routine XMJ_deProfundis.
- handles <,&,>," and ' within values; both read and write.
Group to attribute, and attribute to attribute, white space handled.
What took 440 mS now takes 160 mS.

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here

About the Author

Lymington

Web Developer

United Kingdom

Member

BSc (St.Andrews(1963-67))
MSCE
Systems Programmer 39+yrs
Married to first wife 35yrs & counting, four grown-up children
Religious opinions similar to MelG's
It is not the gnosis, but the praxis must be the fruit. (Aristotle)

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Bug with using different encoding

M A V

6:03 22 Apr '08

I have noticed a strange bug in a library. I think this is somehow related to the fact that the library uses the hight bit of the charater to indicate comments and other information.

I am trying to write a code that will be used to store russian names in the XML file. I cannot get it to work with russian names at all.

Let me explain. When I have the following code



XMJ_newGroup("Profile");

XMJ_getLastGroup("Profile",1);

XMJ_pokeNewGrpPutVal("Name","Fish");	

XMJ_pokeNewGrpPutVal("Description","Something");

The output file contains:
<Profile>
<Name>Fish</Name>
<Description<Something</Description>
</Profile>

And it is ok, but the following code:



XMJ_newGroup("Profile");

XMJ_getLastGroup("Profile",1);

XMJ_pokeNewGrpPutVal("Name","????");	

XMJ_pokeNewGrpPutVal("Description","Something");

generates a file:
<Profile>
<Name>
<Description>Something</Description>
<Profile>
<Name>

Which is incorrect.
Is there any workaround or fix for the library? Thanks in advance.

Documentation Anomaly

Garth J Lancaster

12:26 5 Jan '07

Dont get me wrong - this looks darn good and useful, thanks. I noticed a small anomaly in the documentation, likely a typo :- Page 2 : reference to XMJ_getFistGroup Page 5 : details as XMJ_getFrstGroup looking at examples, and a quick 'squiz' at the code, looks like Page 2 you intended as XMJ_getFrstGroup cheers, 'g' ps.. hope your wife and 4 kids are doing well
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Re: Documentation Anomaly

Lymington

8:09 7 Jan '07

GJL, your quite right... looks like i made a 'fist' of it(frst)... will fix soonish! Best wishes, Lymington Lymington
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XMJ_deProfundis() returning 2, not zero?

CJayNC

7:25 27 Dec '06

Many thanks for the DLL; it has proven to be quite helpful. One question however...

The XMJ_deProfundis() documentation says that it will return a value of 0 once the depth has been raised to the root depth; however, in practice it never seems to go above '2'. Even immediately after opening the file, calling this function returns 2.

Looking at the code for the function, it appears that indeed '2' is the lowest number that will be returned.

I don't understand why 2 considered to be the root depth...am I missing something?

Thanks,
Chris

Re: XMJ_deProfundis() returning 2, not zero?

Lymington

3:47 3 Jan '07

Your have found an error in routine XMJ_deProfundis The return line is: - return d+1; The return line should be: - return d-1; I will check this out this week and update when proved. Happy New Year Lymington
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Enumerating through a depth?

TonyCounts

10:54 19 Apr '06

What would be the best way to modify this so that you could enumerate throughout a depth, and receive the next group regardless of it's name ? I'm dealing with an application whereby I may not know at compile time the name of the groups supplied in an XML file, so I need to just "get the next one" and then see if i have a handler for it.
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what's the meaning of depth

xiyuanzuren

17:19 12 Apr '06

in the export Functions in dll, I was confused by the parameter long depth, some times if you set it 20, the result is not i want to get. and i can't find the difference if i set it 0 or 1.
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Re: what's the meaning of depth

Lymington

21:50 17 Apr '06

<rootGroup> title="This is at depth 0" <group1> title="This is at depth 1" <group2> title="This is at depth 2" <group3> title="This is at depth 3" <group4> title="This is at depth 4" </group4> </group3> </group2> </group1> </rootGroup Regards, Lymington
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Re: what's the meaning of depth

xiyuanzuren

22:17 19 Apr '06

ok , i understand, thank you.
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Batch Command

Anonymous

0:13 1 Aug '05

Is there any batch command so that i can replace xml tag content eg: one now i want change to two at time for more no of XML files which is having same tags
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replace attribute

thanhthuyvn_vtajkhskjakjd

15:50 2 Jun '05

can you help me. i want to replace attribute with the comming attribute mesage data? An Phung Nguyen
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Re: replace attribute

Lymington

6:40 6 Jun '05

e.g. Use an Example.xml like...
============================
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<GIScl>
...
   
   <GGParams uid="JPM" pwd="" scr="HIL" Data="C:\GGPWIN\" Left="0" Top="0"
         Title="GGP v2.9 [" Export="Quick" Start = "Y" Stop = "Y" EFCOO = "Y"
   ></GGParams>
...
</GIScl>
=========================
Say Example.xml is in directory C:\Lymington\Example
To change attributes Top & Left, use code like...
=========================
If XMJ_readFile("C:\Lymington\Example\Example.xml", "GIScl") Then
If XMJ_getFrstGroup("GGParams", 1) Then
   XMJ_putAttribute "Top", 1234
   XMJ_putAttribute "Left", 9876
   XMJ_writeFile "C:\Lymington\Example\Example.xml"
   XMJ_reset
End If
End If
=========================
Consequence is 'Top' takes value 1234 & 'Left' takes value 9876

Yours aye,
Lymington

How Can I read tag's Data Field ?

nico999999999

0:35 5 May '05

This DLL is vary easy to use. I need to read the tag's field like I read the attribute. For the last one I use ...XMJ_getAttribute(..) and for the first one? Nicola
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Re: How Can I read tag's Data Field ?

Lymington

4:48 5 May '05

After b_sts = XMJ_getNextGroup("GroupName",depth) then b_sts = XMJ_getAttribute("GroupName",placeForValueString) i.e. the group name is treated like an attribute name. This probably causes a problem if a group has an attribute of the same name. Regards
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looking for a way to read excel attachments

DawnYoshimura

23:04 21 Jun '04

i am looking for a way to read excel attachments from emails. The structure is the same (a table) and I need to read and then save that infó to a dataset. ultimately my project opens outlooks inbox, looks for emails with a specific subject, reads those emails into a dataset and table and then searches for any excel attachments within a given string (row).
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Re: looking for a way to read excel attachments

Lymington

13:15 22 Jun '04

Something like...?

VERSION 5.00
Begin VB.Form XM8fromXLS 
   Caption         =   "Write/Read XM8fromXLS.xml"
   ClientHeight    =   5055
   ClientLeft      =   60
   ClientTop       =   345
   ClientWidth     =   7290
   LinkTopic       =   "XM8fromXLS"
   ScaleHeight     =   5055
   ScaleWidth      =   7290
   StartUpPosition =   3  'Windows Default
   Begin VB.TextBox Text1 
      CausesValidation=   0   'False
      BeginProperty Font 
         Name            =   "Courier New"
         Size            =   8.25
         Charset         =   0
         Weight          =   400
         Underline       =   0   'False
         Italic          =   0   'False
         Strikethrough   =   0   'False
      EndProperty
      Height          =   3615
      Left            =   240
      MultiLine       =   -1  'True
      ScrollBars      =   2  'Vertical
      TabIndex        =   1
      Text            =   "XM8fromXLS.frx":0000
      Top             =   1200
      Width           =   6855
   End
   Begin VB.CommandButton Command2 
      Caption         =   "Read XM8fromXLS.xls Write XM8fromCSV.xml"
      Height          =   735
      Left            =   2640
      TabIndex        =   0
      Top             =   240
      Width           =   1935
   End
End
Attribute VB_Name = "XM8fromXLS"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False
'
Const rootName = "XLSROOT"
Const rowGroupName = "ROW"
Const filename = "XM8fromXLS"
 
Dim Lines() As String, ColHeads() As String, RowValues() As String
 
'
'/ ================================================================================ //
'/  I n i t i a l i s e                                                             //
'/ ================================================================================ //
Private Sub Form_Initialize()
    Text1.Text = vbNewLine + "Made by XM8DLL version " + XM8_getVersion + ", dated " + XM8_getDate
End Sub
'
'/ ================================================================================ //
'/  The ' R e a d / W r i t e ' command                                             //
'/ ================================================================================ //
Private Sub Command2_Click()
  
  ExportXLSfileToCSV
  
  ReadCSVfileIntoLines
    
  ColHeads = Split(Lines(0), ",")
  
  WriteLinesToXMLfile
  
End Sub
'
'/ ================================================================================ //
'/ Export XLS file to CSV file                                                      //
'/ ================================================================================ //
Private Sub ExportXLSfileToCSV()
Dim xlAppl As Excel.Application
Dim xlBook As Excel.Workbook
Dim pat As String: pat = App.Path + "\"
    
    Set xlAppl = New Excel.Application
    Set xlBook = xlAppl.Workbooks.Open(pat + filename + ".xls", , ReadOnly)
    xlBook.SaveAs pat + filename + ".csv", xlCSV
    xlBook.Close False
    Set xlBook = Nothing
    Set xlAppl = Nothing
    
    Text1.Text = "Exported XLS to CSV" + vbNewLine + Text1.Text
End Sub
'
'/ ================================================================================ //
'/ Read CSV file into Lines array                                                   //
'/ ================================================================================ //
Private Sub ReadCSVfileIntoLines()
 
    Dim stm As ADODB.stream
    Set stm = New ADODB.stream
    stm.Open
 
    stm.Charset = "UTF-8"
    stm.Position = 0
    stm.Type = adTypeText
    stm.LoadFromFile filename + ".csv"
    stm.Position = 0
    strData = stm.ReadText()
        
    Lines = Split(strData, vbNewLine, -1)
    
    stm.Close
    Set stm = Nothing
    
    Text1.Text = "   Read CSV file" + vbNewLine + Text1.Text
End Sub
'
'/ ================================================================================ //
'/ ================================================================================ //
Private Sub displayError()
    Text1.Text = XM8_getLastError() + vbNewLine + Text1.Text
End Sub
'
'/ ================================================================================ //
'/ Write Lines array to xml file                                                    //
'/ ================================================================================ //
Private Sub WriteLinesToXMLfile()
Dim i As Long, j As Long, ju As Long
    
  If XM8_newFile(rootName) Then
  
    For i = 1 To UBound(Lines) - 1: XM8_newGroup rowGroupName: Next
        
    XM8_getFrstGroup rootName, 0
        
    For i = 1 To UBound(Lines) - 1
      If XM8_getNextGroup(rowGroupName, 1) Then
        If XM8_putGroup(rowGroupName, CStr(i + 1)) Then
          RowValues = Split(Lines(i), ",")
                        
          ju = UBound(ColHeads) ' too many values, limit to number of columns
          If ju > UBound(RowValues) Then ju = UBound(RowValues) ' too many columns, limit to number of values
            
          For j = 0 To ju
            If XM8_newAttribute(ColHeads(j)) Then
              If Not XM8_putAttribute(ColHeads(j), RowValues(j)) Then displayError
            Else
              displayError
            End If
          Next
        Else
          displayError
        End If
      Else
        displayError
        Exit For
      End If
    Next
        
    If Not XM8_writeFile(filename + ".xml") Then displayError
        
    XM8_reset
    
    Text1.Text = "Written XML file" + vbNewLine + Text1.Text
  Else
    displayError
  End If
 
End Sub
'

This takes an xls file, your supply, 'fileName'.xls
Makes a csv file 'fileName'.csv
Then converts this to an xml file 'fileName'.xml
with a group for every row containg an attribute for every titled column

Re: looking for a way to read excel attachments

XiAoYanG

4:36 14 Dec '04

I oso haf a similiar problem My excel file format is in .CSV Is it possible to give mi e detail codes on how i can read e excel in VB errr,hopefully is e full code tt's functioning well den i can juz modify e filename to use it coz i'm lousy at tis thx
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parse xml utf-8 & utf-16

Sancho-Panso

1:52 12 May '04

excellent tool, but what about work with Xml in utf-8 and utf-16 encoding?
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Re: parse xml utf-8 & utf-16

Lymington

0:20 13 May '04

Have looked at utf-8, am thinking about it, got any proposals? Thanks. Regards Lymington
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Re: parse xml utf-8 & utf-16

Lymington

21:52 3 Jun '04

You suggested, I looked, and here is XM8. Hope it suits your purposes.
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Re: parse xml utf-8 & utf-16

martyconnelly

7:23 12 Jun '04

I was wondering, if you considered this quick and dirty method using ADODB streams, I was quite surprised when it worked with your test data, to use with XML you would just have to output the correct xml encoding declaration.
You could even use this method to go backwards easily, I think, I haven't tested.
Or are there problems I haven't considered?

Sub ReadUTF8SaveFileInUTF16()
'1/2 ReadToFile / SaveToFile snippet
Dim stm As ADODB.stream
Dim strPath As String
Dim strData As String
strPath = GetPath(CurrentDb.Name) 'set your output file path
Set stm = New ADODB.stream
stm.Open
stm.Charset = "UTF-8"
stm.Position = 0
stm.Type = adTypeText
'stm.LoadFromFile strPath & "encUTF8.xml"
stm.LoadFromFile "C:\XML\Gil Encodings\UTF-8 encoded XML\XM8_UTF_vb.xml"
' if you just try and dump out stream
' without reading and writing you get double BOM
stm.Position = 0

strData = stm.ReadText()
Debug.Print strData
stm.Position = 0
stm.Charset = "Unicode" ' pickone "Unicode" '"ascii" '"Big5" '"hebrew"
stm.WriteText (strData)
stm.SaveToFile strPath & "test16.xml", adSaveCreateOverWrite
stm.Close
Set stm = Nothing
End Sub

Re: parse xml utf-8 & utf-16

Lymington

6:49 13 Jun '04

Tried your routine & with the usual "small" change it works a treat. Also varied it for my own code, found a bug, corrected it & it also now works...
Here yours... adapted

Const TopLine = ""

Sub ReadUTF8SaveFileInUTF16() 'Courtesy of CodeProject member
Dim stm As ADODB.stream
Dim strData As String
Set stm = New ADODB.stream
stm.Open

stm.Charset = "UTF-8"
stm.Position = 0
stm.Type = adTypeText
stm.LoadFromFile "XM8_UTF_vb.xml"
stm.Position = 0
strData = stm.ReadText()
strData = TopLine & Right$(strData, Len(strData) - Len(TopLine))

stm.Position = 0
stm.Charset = "Unicode"
stm.WriteText (strData)
stm.SaveToFile "test16.xml", adSaveCreateOverWrite
stm.Close
Set stm = Nothing
End Sub

and here's my version, after correcting error in XM8DLL.bas

Sub ReadUTF8SaveFileInUTF16XM8() ' adapted from above
Dim stm As ADODB.stream
Dim strData As String
Set stm = New ADODB.stream
stm.Open

XM8_readFile "XM8_UTF_vb.xml", "SAFConfig"
Dim sBf As String
sBf = TopLine & XM8_getStream()
XM8_UTF8toUTF16 sBf, strData

stm.Position = 0
stm.Charset = "Unicode"
stm.WriteText (strData)
stm.SaveToFile "test16xm8.xml", adSaveCreateOverWrite
stm.Close
Set stm = Nothing
End Sub

Error in XM8DLL.bas is at line 217
from:
sBf = Left(bsBf, i / 2) ' copy i/2 characters
to:
sBf = Left(bsBf, i / 2 - 1) ' copy i/2 -1 characters

Thanks for your interest & help
Best regards,
Lymington

Re: parse xml utf-8 & utf-16

Lymington

6:56 13 Jun '04

Addendum... Const TopLine should read... Const TopLine = "<?xml version=""1.0"" encoding=""utf-16"" ?>" forgot to mask the angle brackets
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Short, but fine

StHubi

20:35 18 Mar '04

The article itself is not that overhelming, but the ease of use of the supplied DLL really astonished me. Thanks a lot for the really useful DLL! It will probably speed up my hobby projects a lot... "Have no fear, the saint is here!"
Sign In·View Thread·Permalink	1.33/5 (3 votes)