From: Robert Klemme <bob.news@...>
Date: 2005-05-02T04:49:27+09:00
Subject: Re: parsing xml documents using rexml


"Derek" <derekhaskin@optusnet.com.au> schrieb im Newsbeitrag 
news:001901c54e3d$713334c0$a0b21cd3@dhaskin...
Hi,

I'm new to ruby.
I want to use ruby to process an xml file.

At the moment I am using the REXML but are open to other xml parsers.

In the xml file below how would I go about processing the section <details> 
in the following way: -
 - when the tag <copy> is detected perform a method "copy". within the 
"copy" method extract other child tags within the current <copy> element.
 - when the tag <mkdir> is detected perform a method "mkdir". within the 
"mkdir" method extract other tags within the current <mkdir> element.

I've looked at using XPATH, and have been able to extract specific 
information but have not worked out how to do it.

here is a sample xml file: -

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<fileGroup>

  <summary>
    <application>
 This can state one or multiple applications
    </application>
    <owner>
 Person from development who create this file
    </owner>
    <description>
       This is a sample File group xml
    </description>
  </summary>

  <details>
     <copy>
       <source version="3">//myPath/to/File.txt</source>
       <target>target directory path goes here</target>
     </copy>
     <copy>
       <source>//myPath/to/File2.txt</source>
       <target>target directory path goes here</target>
     </copy>
     <mkdir>relative/Path</mkdir>
  </details>
</fileGroup>




Without an actual implementation I think you need two levels of iteration 
here: you iterate through all "copy" and "mkdir" elements that are childs of 
"details" and then for each of them you need to collect specific child data. 
That's the way I would try to approach this.  HTH

Kind regards

    robert