How to insert a comment in XML file using Linq

Question

I need to insert an XML comment right at the beginning of an existing xml file (ie in the root) for users to see when they look at it in a text editor.

Basically I want to end up with something like this at the beginning...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!--Don't mess with this file -->
....

Assunming I have read the file into an XDocument object and created a new XComment object, using Linq to XML what's the recommended approach to inject this at the start of the root element?

Look at this link. Its a similar question: stackoverflow.com/questions/12783525/… — Adarsh Shah
– Adarsh Shah, Commented Dec 23, 2013 at 11:36
Thanks, but the critical difference is that I need to insert it at the start of the root element. The root element (in XML) has no name, and does Add not put it at the end of the element? I need it to be at the start of the root element. — haughtonomous
– haughtonomous, Commented Dec 23, 2013 at 11:50
How about using doc.AddFirst(comment), assuming doc is the XDocument and comment is the XComment object you have? I didn't see any drawback with that.. — har07
– har07, Commented Dec 23, 2013 at 11:52

Henk Holterman · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-23 11:53:08Z

3

There is a simple method for that:

XDocument doc = ...;
doc.AddFirst(new XComment("Don't mess with this file"));

This will place the comment above and outside the root element. Just under the ?xml declaration.

answered Dec 23, 2013 at 11:53

Henk Holterman

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1 Comment

haughtonomous Over a year ago

Got it. Thanks all three. I didn't notice the AddFirst method

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:25:30Z

1

You can use doc.Element("stock").AddFirst

and as mentioned in the comment section look at add data to existing xml file using linq

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:25

CommunityBot

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answered Dec 23, 2013 at 11:53

Adarsh Shah

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