Reading data from xml file into c++ program

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jamesla

85 posts

Master Geek

#42097 29-Sep-2009 11:36

Hey guys,

I am writing a simple program in c++ and I want to use an API to read in an element from an xml file. I realise there are thousands of xml parsers out there but I just need something lightweight that will read the element in and then let me assign it to a variable.

I have googled but believe it or not can't find anything helpful. Can anyone make any recommendations?

wazzageek

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1010 posts

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#259340 29-Sep-2009 12:41

Years ago, I used the expat library (I'm pretty sure it was straight C and not C++).

It was very light and quick and didn't require a lot of effort to get it going.

This is possibly going to fit the bill if you are only going to read in an element etc. At the time, I wasn't using any sort of DTD or validation.

HTH

jamesla

85 posts

Master Geek

#259416 29-Sep-2009 16:17

Thanks for your reply. I have had a big look into expat and it seems like it is really powerful and a lot of people are using it. The thing is I am a beginner programmer and I am finding expat a bit daunting with all of the functions included, also it doesn't help since I haven't worked with xml before.

http://www.xml.com/pub/a/1999/09/expat/index.html this page lists the 15 or so functions included with expat can anyone recommend me one that would work effectively with my goal of just reading in a single element into a standard variable?

Sorry if i sound like a noob

wazzageek

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#259420 29-Sep-2009 16:29

That looks suspiciously like the page I originally looked at for doing this work ...

A few questions:

Why are you doing this in C++?
Is the element always named that same?
Do you know already how to do file IO in C++?

jamesla

85 posts

Master Geek

#259618 30-Sep-2009 09:11

Doing it in C++ as I am doing it as a win32 console app and I am going to turn it into a service using servany. Yes and yes to the last 2 questions :-)

basically i just want to pull one element in that is always in the same place in the xml file

mikerussellnz

283 posts

Ultimate Geek

#259622 30-Sep-2009 09:38

You might want to look at TinyXML, its probably easier to grasp than expat

http://code.google.com/p/ticpp/

jamesla

85 posts

Master Geek

#259672 30-Sep-2009 11:44

tinyxml is perfect, nice and simple :-) thanks guys for your help ill let you know how i get on