XML Import, data not always the same. Any advice?

I have thousands of XML files, each one describing the properties of an object. Each object being different which means the XML files are not the same. I am trying to write a function for each bit of data I would like to parse out of the files.

The purpose of this is to gather the information. Create a new object and then write it to disk as an encrypted file. I have looked into serialization but I think because of inconsistencies in the data provided to me that It could cause me issues.

Here is an example of the XML :

<TestXMl Var1="000" Var2="000" Var3="01">

    <var4>testdata</var4>
    <var5>testdata</var5>

    <var6>testdata</var6>

    <DeeperLevel>
        <var7>testdata</var7>
        <var8>testdata</var8>
        <var9>testdata</var9>
        <var10>testdata</var10>
    </Deeper

Level>
</TestXMl>

I have written a function which is currently working for Var4 through Var6. I am unable to get Var1, Var2 and Var3 at this stage.

private string Var1;
private string Var2;
private string Var3;
private string Var4;
private string Var5;
private string Var6;

        //Var4
        public void ParseVar4(string Directory)
        {
            XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
            doc.Load(Directory);

            // Retrieve all开发者_StackOverflow prices.
            XmlNodeList nodeList = doc.GetElementsByTagName("var4");

            foreach (XmlNode node in nodeList)
            {
                Var4= node.ChildNodes[0].Value;

            }

        }
        public string GetVar4()
        {

            return Var4;

        }

I use the above function for both var5 and var6. However I am unable to get this function to work with the other vars. I am a little unsure If I am going in the write direction with the function. All advice is very welcome.

Cheers in advance.

Instead of individual string properties, you could use a List<string> and gather an arbitrary number of them. Then, you can reference them by index.

Consider using XPaths. They are the query language for XML like SQL is to RDBMS.

Here's a sample

        static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        string s = "<TestXMl Var1=\"000\" Var2=\"000\" Var3=\"01\"><var4>testdata</var4><var5>testdata</var5><var6>testdata</var6><DeeperLevel><var7>testdata</var7><var8>testdata</var8><var9>testdata</var9><var10>testdata</var10></DeeperLevel></TestXMl> ";

        XmlDocument xDoc = new XmlDocument();
        xDoc.LoadXml(s);

        string var1 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/attribute::Var1").Value;
        Console.WriteLine(var1);

        string var2 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/attribute::Var2").Value;
        Console.WriteLine(var2);

        string var3 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/attribute::Var3").Value;
        Console.WriteLine(var3);

        string var4 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/var4").InnerText;
        Console.WriteLine(var4);

        string var5 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/var5").InnerText;
        Console.WriteLine(var5);

        string var6 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/var6").InnerText;
        Console.WriteLine(var6);

        string var7 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/DeeperLevel/var7").InnerText;
        Console.WriteLine(var7);

        string var8 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/DeeperLevel/var8").InnerText;
        Console.WriteLine(var8);


        string var9 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/DeeperLevel/var9").InnerText;
        Console.WriteLine(var9);

        string var10 = xDoc.SelectSingleNode("/TestXMl/DeeperLevel/var10").InnerText;
        Console.WriteLine(var10);

    }

Hope this helps ... ;)

var1,2 and 3 are attributes not element.

Try

XmlAttributeCollection atribs = doc.DocumentElement.Attributes;