From: Robert Klemme <shortcutter@...>
Date: 2008-10-21T15:13:42+09:00
Subject: Re: REXML and Empty-Elements

On 21.10.2008 01:04, Ryan Fitz wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I have been using REXML to help me merge some XML files. I noticed that
> simply opening an XML document and writing it to a file will
> automatically convert the blank nodes with a start-tag and an end-tag to
> empty-element tags. Here is an example:
> 
> Original.xml:
> <User>
>   <Name>John</Name>
>   <Address1>123 Maple Lane</Address1>
>   <Address2></Address2>
>   <City>Chicago</City>
>   <State>IL</State>
> </User>
> 
> Basic Ruby Script:
> require 'rexml/document'
> xml = REXML::Document.new(File.open("Original.xml"))
> f = File.new("New.xml","w")
> f.puts xml

Better use the block form of File.open here.

> New.xml:
> <User>
>   <Name>John</Name>
>   <Address1>123 Maple Lane</Address1>
>   <Address2 />
>   <City>Chicago</City>
>   <State>IL</State>
> </User>
> 
> In this example I would like to prevent Address2 from being modified to
> use empty-element tags. I would rather it be displayed as
> <Address2></Address2>. Is there a way to prevent REXML from converting
> blank nodes?

There is no point in doing this since both representations are 
equivalent from an XML point of view.  I don't believe there is such a 
mechanism.  What does REXML's documentation say?

Cheers

	robert