Check XML file if it has the same structure

Question

I have the following XML file like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Config version="Vs1.00.00"><!-- xmlns="urn:xmldata-schema">-->

<<SystemSettings>
    <Workstation></Workstation>
    <Company></Company>
    <InstallationDate></InstallationDate>
    <SupportContactLine1></SupportContactLine1>
    <SupportContactLine2></SupportContactLine2>
    <SupportContactLine3></SupportContactLine3>
    <UserFile></UserFile>
</SystemSettings>

<Settings>
    <StartUpWorkspace></StartUpWorkspace>
    <StartLanguage></StartLanguage>
    <ExportPath></ExportPath>
    <ImportPath></ImportPath>
    <BackUpRestorePath></BackUpRestorePath>
    <AdjHistoryPath></AdjHistoryPath>
    <TestHistoryPath></TestHistoryPath>
    <LogFilePath></LogFilePath>
</Settings>

<DefaultSettings>
    <DefaultSupportLine1></DefaultSupportLine1>
    <DefaultSupportLine2></DefaultSupportLine2>
    <DefaultSupportLine3></DefaultSupportLine3>
    <DefaultUserFile></DefaultUserFile>
    <DefaultStartUpWorkspace></DefaultStartUpWorkspace>
    <DefaultStartLanguage></DefaultStartLanguage>
    <DefaultWorkspacePath></DefaultWorkspacePath>
    <DefaultExportPath></DefaultExportPath>
    <DefaultImportPath></DefaultImportPath>
    <DefaultBackUpRestorePath></DefaultBackUpRestorePath>
    <DefaultAdjHistoryPath></DefaultAdjHistoryPath>
    <DefaultTestHistoryPath></DefaultTestHistoryPath>
    <DefaultLogFilePath></DefaultLogFilePath>
    <DefaultMasterPassword crypt="No"></DefaultMasterPassword>
    <DefaultLogger></DefaultLogger>
</DefaultSettings>

</Config>

I need to validate another XML file. Is there a way I can check another XML file if it has the same structure as my file here?

I suppose there is a way using schema/XSD file template..I don't have any idea.."how-to"..as I am looking for the same too :) — beerBear, Jan 31 '13 at 06:59

Stian Standahl · Answer 1 · 2013-01-31T07:24:49.833

You can create a xsd schema that possibly can look something like this. (I recommend @daryal's xml schema , but i would throw some constraints on the xml elements.)

<xs:element name="SystemSettings">
<xs:complexType>
  <xs:sequence>
    <xs:element name="Workstation" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1" />
    ...
  </xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>

...

Then you can use this code to perform validation

using (var xsdStream = new MemoryStream(fXmlSchema))
        {
            xsdStream .Position = 0;
            using (var xsdReader = XmlReader.Create(xsdStream ))
            {
                XmlReaderSettings settings = new XmlReaderSettings();
                settings.ValidationType = ValidationType.Schema;
                settings.ValidationFlags |= XmlSchemaValidationFlags.ReportValidationWarnings;
                settings.ValidationFlags |= XmlSchemaValidationFlags.ProcessInlineSchema;
                settings.ValidationFlags |= XmlSchemaValidationFlags.ProcessSchemaLocation;
                settings.Schemas.Add(XmlSchema.Read(xsdReader , [performingValidationCallback]));

                using (var xmlStream = new MemoryStream(fXml))
                {
                    using (var xmlReader = XmlReader.Create(xmlStream, settings ))
                    {
                        try
                        {
                            xmlStream .Position = 0;
                            while (xmlReader .Read())
                            {
                            }
                        }
                        catch (XmlException e)
                        {
                            //VALIDATIONERROR
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }

That was mine downvote, because you wrote something which is not an answer just to be first while others where writing real answers — Sergey Berezovskiy, Jan 31 '13 at 07:17
I believe you should use `settings` when creating a reader `XmlReader.Create(xmlStream, settings)` otherwise there will be no validation — Sergey Berezovskiy, Jan 31 '13 at 07:22

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 31 '13 at 07:08

1

You need to create xml scheme and then use XDocument.Validate method to check if the xml conform the scheme

answered Jan 31 '13 at 07:08

Iswanto San

18,263
13
58
79

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:27

You need an XSD file to check whether an xml is proper. If you do not have the xsd file, some tools may create xsd from xml, but you may need to modify created xsd.

This answer describes how to validate an xml file in c# against an XSD file.

<xs:schema attributeFormDefault="unqualified" elementFormDefault="qualified" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
  <xs:element name="Config">
    <xs:complexType>
      <xs:sequence>
        <xs:element name="SystemSettings">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="Workstation"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="Company"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="InstallationDate"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="SupportContactLine1"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="SupportContactLine2"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="SupportContactLine3"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="UserFile"/>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
        <xs:element name="Settings">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="StartUpWorkspace"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="StartLanguage"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="ExportPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="ImportPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="BackUpRestorePath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="AdjHistoryPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="TestHistoryPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="LogFilePath"/>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
        <xs:element name="DefaultSettings">
          <xs:complexType>
            <xs:sequence>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultSupportLine1"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultSupportLine2"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultSupportLine3"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultUserFile"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultStartUpWorkspace"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultStartLanguage"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultWorkspacePath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultExportPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultImportPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultBackUpRestorePath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultAdjHistoryPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultTestHistoryPath"/>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultLogFilePath"/>
              <xs:element name="DefaultMasterPassword">
                <xs:complexType>
                  <xs:simpleContent>
                    <xs:extension base="xs:string">
                      <xs:attribute type="xs:string" name="crypt"/>
                    </xs:extension>
                  </xs:simpleContent>
                </xs:complexType>
              </xs:element>
              <xs:element type="xs:string" name="DefaultLogger"/>
            </xs:sequence>
          </xs:complexType>
        </xs:element>
      </xs:sequence>
    </xs:complexType>
  </xs:element>
</xs:schema>

+1 But for answer to be complete I think you need sample of files validation — Sergey Berezovskiy, Jan 31 '13 at 07:14
@lazyberezovsky thanks, I have updated the question with a link to another answer describing how to validate an XML file against XSD in c#. — daryal, Jan 31 '13 at 07:18

Check XML file if it has the same structure

3 Answers3