loading XML data into an ArrayList

[kaczmar2]

I have the following code which is working:

*** XML FILE ***
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<FileTypes>
<FileType name="index.html" />
<FileType name="index.asp" />
<FileType name="default.htm" />
<FileType name="default.html" />
<FileType name="default.asp" />
<FileType name="default.aspx" />
</FileTypes>


*** ASP.NET CODEBEHIND ***

Dim oXMLDoc As New XmlDocument
Dim oNodes As XmlNodeList
Dim oNode As XmlNode
Dim aryFileTypes As ArrayList = New ArrayList

' Load from XML file
oXMLDoc.Load(Server.MapPath(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("FileTypesPath")))
oNodes = oXMLDoc.SelectNodes("/FileTypes/FileType/@name")

' Add these XML nodes to array
For Each oNode In oNodes
aryFileTypes.Add(oNode.Value)
Next

My question is, since this XML file is so simple, and has (and always
will have, just a simple list of nodes like this, is there a better way
to bind this data to an array list? I know this isn't much code, but I
was just wondering. FOr example, is there a simple way to bind XML
data directly to an ArrayList, as you can with a dataset:

Dim dsSitesOther As New DataSet
dsSitesOther.ReadXml(Server.MapPath(ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings("OtherSitesPath")))

I am searching/manipulating the data in the array, so that is why I
don't want to load it into a a web control of some kind.

Thanks,

Christian

 

[DotNet Coder]

Christian,

I would strongly suggest that you look into XML Serialization. It will make
your life much, much easier.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnexxml/html/xml01202003.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...emXmlSerializationXmlSerializerClassTopic.asp

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...xampleofxmlserializationwithxmlserializer.asp

HTH,
~d