Create a XML Tree from a String

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I got a mail from a devcurry.com reader Martin this morning who asks me “I have a string containing XML tags and I need to create a XML document out of it without much efforts. Is there an easy way to do so. I can assure that the string contains valid xml”

Yes Martin, there is an easy way to do so. You have to use the XDocument.Parse() method. Here’s an example. Add a reference to System.Xml.Linq and write the following code in a console application

C#

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    string str = @"<?xml version=""1.0""?>
    <Country name=""India"">
    <Capital>New Delhi</Capital>
    </Country>";
    // preserve whitespaces
    XDocument xDoc = XDocument.Parse(str, LoadOptions.PreserveWhitespace);
    Console.WriteLine(xDoc);
    Console.ReadLine();
}

VB.NET

Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
 Dim s As String = "<?xml version=""1.0""?>" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
 "    <Country name=""India"">" & ControlChars.CrLf & _
 "    <Capital>New Delhi</Capital>" & ControlChars.CrLf & "    </Country>"
 ' preserve whitespaces
 Dim xDoc As XDocument = XDocument.Parse(s, LoadOptions.PreserveWhitespace)
 Console.WriteLine(xDoc)
 Console.ReadLine()
End Sub

OUTPUT

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About The Author

Suprotim Agarwal, Developer Technologies MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional) is the founder and contributor for DevCurry, DotNetCurry and SQLServerCurry. He is the Chief Editor of a Developer Magazine called DNC Magazine. He has also authored two Books - 51 Recipes using jQuery with ASP.NET Controls. and The Absolutely Awesome jQuery CookBook.

Follow him on twitter @suprotimagarwal.