SoftXpath

SoftXPath is small cross browser JavaScript library for parsing complex XML documents on client side using powerful Xpath expressions. Focus on building effective Xpath expressions instead of wasting time on browser compatibility issues.

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Browsers supported:

SoftXPath Tutorials & Examples

Include SoftXPath library in your file:

<script language="javascript"  src="js/SoftXPath.js"></script>

Create new instance of SoftXpath

var myXpathObj = new SoftXpath();

Method	Description	Example	Result
load	expects valid path to xml file as parameter and loads given file	myXpathObj.load("flash_vs_page.xml")	true/false
loadXML	expects valid xml string as parameter and loads given string	myXpathObj.loadXML("<root><item color='blue'>demo1</item><item color='red'>demo2</item><item color='blue'>demo3</item></root>")	true/false
registerNamespace	expects prefix/URI pair and sets user defined namespaces default is none - myXpathObj.registerNamespace("","")	myXpathObj.registerNamespace("xsl","http://www.softxml.com"); myXpathObj.loadXML("<xsl:root xmlns:xsl='http://www.softxml.com'> <xsl:item color='blue'>demo1</xsl:item><xsl:item color='red'>demo2</xsl:item><xsl:item color='blue'>demo3</xsl:item></xsl:root>"); //After defining namespace you don't need to change your xpath expression var results = myXpathObj.selectNodes("//item[@color='blue']");
selectNodes	expects valid xpath expression and returns array of objects	var results = myXpathObj.selectNodes("//item[@color='blue']")	Array of Objects
Check array length to see if there are matched nodes:

if(results.length==0){
	alert("No records found");
}
else
{
 //loop over matched nodes

 for(var i=0;i<results.length;i++)
  {
	//Print current node's text
	alert(results[i].text);
	
	//Print current node's parent element name
	//me points to current node itself
	alert(re[i].me.parentNode.nodeName);
											
	//Print current node's name
	alert(re[i].me.nodeName);

  }
}

Examples

SoftXpath load method Our XML file called "flash_vs_page.xml" and it's structure shown below:

	<?xml version="1.0"?>
		<xsl:categories xmlns:xsl="http://www.softxml.com">
			<xsl:category name="CLeasing">
				<xsl:language name="en">
					<xsl:page name="aboutSixt.asp" value="video_41.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="aboutUs.asp" value="video_42.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="advantage.asp" value="video_43.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="club.asp" value="video_44.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="Cservice.asp" value="video_45.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="infoSafety.asp" value="video_46.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="LetterFinal.asp" value="video_47.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="orderInfo.asp" value="video_48.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="pressRelease.asp" value="video_49.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="Resultview.asp" value="video_50.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="roadTests.asp" value="video_51.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SearchAdvanceB.asp" value="video_52.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SearchQuickB.asp" value="video_53.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SearchResultB.asp" value="video_54.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="service.asp" value="video_55.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SI_jobs.asp" value="video_56.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SI_orderFix.asp" value="video_57.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SI_writeus.asp" value="video_58.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SupplementsB.asp" value="video_59.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="ResultView.asp" value="video_60.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="branches.asp" value="video_61.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="login.asp" value="video_62.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="makelogin.asp" value="video_63.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="personal.asp" value="video_64.swf"/>
				</xsl:language>
				<xsl:language name="he">
					<xsl:page name="aboutSixt.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x150.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="aboutUs.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x151.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="advantage.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x152.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="club.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x153.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="Cservice.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x154.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="infoSafety.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x155.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="LetterFinal.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x156.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="orderInfo.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x157.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="pressRelease.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x158.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="accident.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x159.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="Resultview.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x160.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="roadTests.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x161.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SearchAdvanceB.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x162.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SearchQuickB.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x163.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SearchQuickBNew.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x164.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="icar.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x165.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SearchResultB.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x166.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="service.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x167.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SI_jobs.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x168.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SI_orderFix.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x169.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SI_writeus.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x170.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="SupplementsB.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x171.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="branches.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x172.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="login.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x173.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="makelogin.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x174.swf"/>
					<xsl:page name="personal.asp" value="new_kopel_key_120x175.swf"/>
				</xsl:language>
			</xsl:category>
		</xsl:categories>

JavaScript Code

	var myXpathObj = new SoftXpath();
	myXpathObj.registerNamespace("xsl","http://www.softxml.com");
	if(myXpathObj.load("flash_vs_page.xml")){
		var results = myXpathObj.selectNodes("//page[./parent::language[@name='he'] and ./@name='aboutSixt.asp']/@value");
		if(results.length==0){
			alert("No records found!");
		}
		else{
			for(var i=0;i<results.length;i++){
				alert(results[i].text);
			}
		}	
	}
	else{
		alert("Loading xml file failed!");
	}

SoftXpath loadXML method Our XML string shown below:

	<?xml version="1.0"?>
	<catalog>
	   <product description="Cardigan Sweater" product_image="cardigan.jpg">
	      <catalog_item gender="Men's">
	         <item_number>QWZ5671</item_number>
	         <price>39.95</price>
	         <size description="Medium">
	            <color_swatch image="red_cardigan.jpg">Red</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="burgundy_cardigan.jpg">Burgundy</color_swatch>
	         </size>
	         <size description="Large">
	            <color_swatch image="red_cardigan.jpg">Red</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="burgundy_cardigan.jpg">Burgundy</color_swatch>
	         </size>
	      </catalog_item>
	      <catalog_item gender="Women's">
	         <item_number>RRX9856</item_number>
	         <price>42.50</price>
	         <size description="Small">
	            <color_swatch image="red_cardigan.jpg">Red</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="navy_cardigan.jpg">Navy</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="burgundy_cardigan.jpg">Burgundy</color_swatch>
	         </size>
	         <size description="Medium">
	            <color_swatch image="red_cardigan.jpg">Red</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="navy_cardigan.jpg">Navy</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="burgundy_cardigan.jpg">Burgundy</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="black_cardigan.jpg">Black</color_swatch>
	         </size>
	         <size description="Large">
	            <color_swatch image="navy_cardigan.jpg">Navy</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="black_cardigan.jpg">Black</color_swatch>
	         </size>
	         <size description="Extra Large">
	            <color_swatch image="burgundy_cardigan.jpg">Burgundy</color_swatch>
	            <color_swatch image="black_cardigan.jpg">Black</color_swatch>
	         </size>
	      </catalog_item>
	   </product>
	</catalog>

JavaScript Code

	var myXpathObj = new SoftXpath();
	myXpathObj.registerNamespace('','');
	if(myXpathObj.loadXML(xmlstring)){
		var results = myXpathObj.selectNodes("//color_swatch[./ancestor::catalog_item/child::item_number[text()='QWZ5671'] and ./parent::size[@description='Medium']]");
		if(results.length==0){
			alert("No records found!");
		}
		else{
			for(var i=0;i<results.length;i++){
				alert(results[i].text);
			}
		}
	}
	else{
		alert("Loading xml string failed!");
	}

Online Demo

SoftXpath Online Demo