How to sort the XML data??(ascending order)please help..vb.net

Question

hii'm newbie in programing. I face some problem with my current project.I'm using vb.net to write my program. My problem is like that: I wan to sort the specific element in xml file that will shot out ascending and descending about the record after clicking the sort command button. FOR EXAMPLE: My XML file data is like below: ABC Sdn Bhd Process Manager Process Manager (Content Search) 27-Apr-2006 Admin XYZ Sdn Bhd Basic Version Control (Content Search) 27-Jan-2007 Admin 1)I have 1 drop down list that consists of  and 3 element to sort. 2)I want sort the XML data based on specific child element as above . If i choose the admin_module on drop down list then the result output is show that the record XYZ Sdn Bhd will list at the begin because the Basic is sort first. --->how to make it be possible?? -->can show me the related sample or guide me with provide some useful source code?? -->Thanks.

Tan Rino · Answer

HI Nainil I have reply to your e-mail. Please refer to your e-mail. I still need your help to solve this problem. Or can you please provide or show me some XML SORT sample or source code here or via e-mail??Or any related guideline?? looking forward for your reply. Thanks.

Nainil · Answer

Hi Tan I replied to your mail twice but I guess my mail is not reaching you. Please check your junk folder. Reply back to my mail if you need any further help. Thanks Nainil.

Tan Rino · Answer

hi I try to debug it one by one. I found out that there nothing data to loadbut i'm sure that i alreadly add in my XML data to the console application. Sowhat is the problem cause it?? Assume that my XML data is (Registration.xml)can you please show me how can i make the right correction by make sure my console application can load the XML data and the result output will not be display nothing?? Thank you so much. looking forward for your reply.

Donny · Answer

Jan Montano  Your a genious! Found this post on Google and it REALLY Helped Thanks!

Jan Montano · Answer

Hi Tan Unfortunately I'm not that familiar with web forms. You have to debug the code part by part. Let's try to debug the console app. First you have to make sure that when data is loaded all the data is correct. If there's no record loaded. then definitely it will not output anything. First try to debug the LoadData() and see if it loads anything. and try to debug the reading of the xml nodes. debug it line by line.

Tan Rino · Answer

hiafter seeing your replyi really dunno why the output after debug is nothing. i got debug it.but the output is appear console screen with empty record??? or here i try to write down what my project need: --->My web form have one drop down list(ddlType) and one command butto(btnSort).drop down list consists of 'companyNameuserdate' and command button is use for sort the XML data.I gotna sorting an XML file by acsending. For example:my xml file is look like this: ABC Sdn Bhd Manager 18-Jan-2007 XYZ Sdn Bhd Admin 30-Aug-2007 The output result will be like that after sorting :If i sort by : use r XYZ Sdn Bhd Admin 30-Aug-2007 ABC Sdn Bhd Manager 18-Jan-2007 can you please provide me the source code how to sort the record based on the example above?? thank you.

Jan Montano · Answer

What kind of error are you encountering. Also when you ran the console app which did not output any on the console did you try to debug it? Try to debug the code so that you'll understand why it doesn't output anything.

Tan Rino · Answer

Hii try the solution that you provide alreadlybut there still occur error and cannot work.I create a new console application and copy the whole codethere only show the empty console screen without appear any record that we want. the error is occur at this line: Case company_name sortedList.Add(record.companyname record) Or can you pls show me how to appear the output on msgBox?Because i'm creating web form to display my outputnot console application.i will more easy to understand. i really no idea about it. Thanks.

Jan Montano · Answer

Try adding Imports System.Collections.Generic above. You encounter an error with Sort because it's a function call and it can't find the Sort function in your code. Change Private Function btnSort_Click(ByVal registrationRecords As List(Of RegistrationRecord ) ByVal key As String) As SortedList to Private Function Sort(ByVal registrationRecords As List(Of RegistrationRecord ) ByVal key As String) As SortedList also to test if my code above will work for you try creating a new console application in vb.net and put the whole code in the module.

Tan Rino · Answer

hi I think i can get your mean by this time.but i still face trouble when i adding the source code that you provide to my project. My problem is: The List Type not define The sort cant declared.(I alreadly highlight the error above by using RED color in my source code below) I alreadly separate your sample code and put in my working project.I duuno doing that can work or notso i showing here and let u have a look.If there got any wrongpls provide me by modify the source code directly or show me any direction. My source is like that: Structure RegistrationRecord Public companyName As String Public nonExpiry As String Public expiryDate As String Public creationDate As String Public userName As String End Structure _____________________________________________________________________________ Protected Sub btnSort_Click(ByVal sender As Object ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSort.Click LoadData() Console.ReadLine() End Sub ______________________________________________________________________________ Private Sub LoadData() Dim xmlDoc As New XmlDocument() xmlDoc.Load(.\Registration.xml) 'Dim nodes As XmlNodeList = xmlDoc.SelectNodes(//non_expiry [contains(.'Apr-2007')]) Dim nodes As XmlNodeList = xmlDoc.SelectNodes(//tblRegistration) If Not (nodes Is Nothing) And nodes.Count > 0 Then Dim oStringBuilder As New StringBuilder() Dim oNode As XmlNode 'Dim oElement As XmlNode Dim oElement As XmlElement Dim records As New List(Of RegistrationRecord) Dim sortedRecords As SortedList Dim record As RegistrationRecord 'traverse each registration record For Each oNode In nodes record = New RegistrationRecord 'traverse each element of the record For Each oElement In oNode.ChildNodes Select Case oElement.Name.ToUpper Case company_name record.companyName = oElement.InnerText Case non_expiry record.nonExpiry = oElement.InnerText Case expiry_date record.expiryDate = oElement.InnerText Case date_create record.creationDate = oElement.InnerText Case user_name record.userName = oElement.InnerText End Select Next oElement records.Add(record) Next oNode 'example sort by company sortedRecords = Sort (records COMPANY_NAME) For Each record In sortedRecords.Values oStringBuilder.Append(record.companyName) oStringBuilder.Append(record.creationDate) oStringBuilder.Append(record.expiryDate) oStringBuilder.Append(record.nonExpiry) oStringBuilder.Append(record.userName) oStringBuilder.AppendLine() Next 'MsgBox(oStringBuilder.ToString()) Console.WriteLine(oStringBuilder.ToString()) Else MsgBox(Node either null or 0) End If End Sub ________________________________________________________________________________ Private Function btnSort_Click(ByVal registrationRecords As List(Of RegistrationRecord ) ByVal key As String) As SortedList Dim record As RegistrationRecord 'Dim sortedRecord as RegistrationRecord Dim sortedList As New SortedList() For Each record In registrationRecords Select Case key Case company_name sortedList.Add(record.companyName record) Case non_expiry sortedList.Add(record record.nonExpiry) Case expiry_date sortedList.Add(record record.expiryDate) Case date_create sortedList.Add(record record.creationDate) Case user_name sortedList.Add(record record.userName) End Select Next Sort = sortedList End Function _______________________________________________________________________________ Can it be work not?? Is the code above be work after you settle the error?? anywayi'm waiting your comment and reply. Thanks again.

Jan Montano · Answer

My bad. Here's to get you started. This is a sample consle application. It shows the usage of List and SortedList and how to access the records within. Though there would be a problem when you need to sort it by expiry or creation date because it would sort it by the string literal. For example 23-Jun-2005 vs 23-Nov-2004. If we'll compare this as string. 23-Jun-2005 will come first which is most likely you don't want. The trick is having the date format to yyyy-mm-dd when comparing. Try to play around with it and beep me if you're having trouble. -------------------------------------------------------- XYZ Sdn Bhd false 23-Jun-2006 27-Apr-2006 admin ABC Sdn Bhd true 27-Jan-2006 staff ------------------------------------------------------ Imports System.Xml Imports System.Text Module Module1 Sub Main() LoadData() Console.ReadLine() End Sub Structure RegistrationRecord Public companyName As String Public nonExpiry As String Public expiryDate As String Public creationDate As String Public userName As String End Structure Private Sub LoadData() Dim xmlDoc As New XmlDocument() xmlDoc.Load(G:\jan.xml) 'Dim nodes As XmlNodeList = xmlDoc.SelectNodes(//non_expiry [contains(.'Apr-2007')]) Dim nodes As XmlNodeList = xmlDoc.SelectNodes(//tblRegistration) If Not (nodes Is Nothing) And nodes.Count > 0 Then Dim oStringBuilder As New StringBuilder() Dim oNode As XmlNode 'Dim oElement As XmlNode Dim oElement As XmlElement Dim records As New List(Of RegistrationRecord) Dim sortedRecords As SortedList Dim record As RegistrationRecord 'traverse each registration record For Each oNode In nodes record = New RegistrationRecord 'traverse each element of the record For Each oElement In oNode.ChildNodes Select Case oElement.Name.ToUpper Case COMPANY_NAME record.companyName = oElement.InnerText Case NON_EXPIRY record.nonExpiry = oElement.InnerText Case EXPIRY_DATE record.expiryDate = oElement.InnerText Case DATE_CREATED record.creationDate = oElement.InnerText Case USER_NAME record.userName = oElement.InnerText End Select Next oElement records.Add(record) Next oNode 'example sort by company sortedRecords = Sort(records COMPANY_NAME) For Each record In sortedRecords.Values oStringBuilder.Append(record.companyName) oStringBuilder.Append(record.creationDate) oStringBuilder.Append(record.expiryDate) oStringBuilder.Append(record.nonExpiry) oStringBuilder.Append(record.userName) oStringBuilder.AppendLine() Next 'MsgBox(oStringBuilder.ToString()) Console.WriteLine(oStringBuilder.ToString()) Else MsgBox(Node either null or 0) End If End Sub ''' ''' returns the sorted records based on a specified key ''' ''' ''' ''' ''' Private Function Sort(ByVal registrationRecords As List(Of RegistrationRecord) ByVal key As String) As SortedList Dim record As RegistrationRecord 'Dim sortedRecord as RegistrationRecord Dim sortedList As New SortedList() For Each record In registrationRecords Select Case key Case COMPANY_NAME sortedList.Add(record.companyName record) Case NON_EXPIRY sortedList.Add(record record.nonExpiry) Case EXPIRY_DATE sortedList.Add(record record.expiryDate) Case DATE_CREATED sortedList.Add(record record.creationDate) Case USER_NAME sortedList.Add(record record.userName) End Select Next Sort = sortedList End Function End Module

Tan Rino · Answer

hi Jan Montano Thanks for your information again.This is not helpful to me.because i begin learn XML within 1 month only.soi not so good in the XML function. How to do a manual sorting of each record in the List?? Can you show me the sample source code in vb.net? looking forward for your reply. thank in advance.

Jan Montano · Answer

If I we're to do the sorting I would first put the nodes in a List of struct Registration struct Registration { string companyName; string adminModule; string webModule; DateTime dateCreated; string userName; } List records = new List (); Then if example I need to sort it by adminModule I'll do a manual sorting of each record in the List.

Tan Rino · Answer

Oh.thank for that.But this cannot solve my problem.I'm creating web form by using vb.net coding. i want to sort the xml data and display in table form.i'm not using list view to display my XML data. I alreadly create the search command button that retrive the xml data based on date (ddlmonth & ddlyear) and display in table form.it is alreadly work. My table form is use source code to write.for example: This also include my searching coding and it workall the data that i search is show as table form.I use for loop to retrive xml record. Dim strTable As String strTable +=  Company Name  strTable +=  Date Generate  strTable +=   For Each oNode In nodes strTable +=   & oNode.ParentNode.ChildNodes(company name).InnerText &   strTable +=   & oNode.ParentNode.ChildNodes(Date Generate).InnerText &   Next -->Now my problem is: I want add sort command button to the same web form by sort the record. --> for example:I add 1 drop down list (ddlType) that consists company name and date generate. -->After i debug the project if i choose the company name in drop down listthen i click the sort command button. The output of xml data in table should be like the same as when i click the search command button. The different is the ascending of company name will arrange from A-Z. -->i want sort the record arrange from a-z or 1-9(ascending) if i choice the option in drop down list(ddlType) above. -->how can make it work ??? can u provide me similar source code?? or any working sample?? I have no idea about it. Thanks..

Jan Montano · Answer

Will you actually reconstruct the XML file in the sort order you like or the sorting will just be for display in your form? If it's for display in your form. Using a ListView might make your life easier especially when sorting different elements in your xml. You just have to populate the listview with the records from your xml and need to add code to sort the columns. Here's an article about it -> Sorting ListViewItems . If you don't want to use a ListView then you have to manually sort out the records. (e.g. using arrays/struct)