Loading XML string with PowerShell

Question

I have defined an XML string using

$str = "<a><b></b></a>"

Now I want to load it into a [xml] variable to be able to manipulate it's nodes etc. The row below results in an error...

$str = [xml]"<a><b></b></a>"

How do I do this?

I'm not seeing any error from that line. Have you previously strongly typed the $str variable or something? Try putting the type before the variable to (re)strongly type the variable: [xml]$str = "<a><b></b></a>" (or [xml]$str = [xml]"<a><b></b></a>" ) — Jaykul
– Jaykul, Commented Oct 14, 2010 at 17:31

Cody Gray · Accepted Answer · 2019-07-02 06:56:01Z

25

The code in your question seems to work for me. I just added test inside my string to show I can access the value, but it should work without it, too.

Yes I added test, but you can see my example worked Full Image

Casting a string also worked for me:

Again, I added test to show that I can access XML members Full Image

...and I ran it with your string and it worked fine... ...notice there was an empty return? Full Image

edited Jul 2, 2019 at 6:56

Cody Gray♦

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answered Oct 14, 2010 at 16:31

Urda

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2 Comments

rickythefox Over a year ago

It's all about loading XML from a FILE. I want to load it from a STRING.

Urda Over a year ago

How about you post the error your getting then, because I was able to load the string in my powershell just fine. Also take it easy on the caps, the references inside those articles STILL APPLY (see how annoying the caps are). I'll update my question for you

Awadhesh Verma · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-31 12:43:14Z

8

Try this

$xmlcontent = variable which holds xml data in string
$xml = New-Object -TypeName System.Xml.XmlDocument
$xml.LoadXml($xmlcontent)

edited Jul 31, 2015 at 12:43

user188654

answered Jul 31, 2015 at 11:38

Awadhesh Verma

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Comments

JJJCoder · Accepted Answer · 2017-08-18 10:32:39Z

6

For the benefit of searchers, if you have a top line of xml that includes formatting (rather than straight in at the root node) info you need to remove the top line before you can cast it

e.g.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Courses>
  <CourseEntry Type="Mandatory" Name="Math"/>
  <CourseEntry Type="Mandatory" Name="Coding" />
  <CourseEntry Type="Optional" Name="Economics" />
  <CourseEntry Type="Optional" Name="History" />
</Courses>

Requires:

$xmlFile = Get-Content "*.xml"
$xmlFileMinusFormatData = $xmlFile[1..($xmlFile.Length - 1)] #we need to remove the first line
$usableXml = [xml]$xmlFileMinusFormatData # Convert to xml for easy handling
$usableXml.Courses.CourseEntry.Count # just a count of rows

answered Aug 18, 2017 at 10:32

JJJCoder

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1 Comment

Sabuncu Over a year ago

Cool how you removed the first line programmatically.

Draken · Accepted Answer · 2023-12-07 09:27:23Z

2

You can also do it like this:

[XML]$str = "<a><b></b></a>"

Now $str is an XML object:

$str | GM

TypeName System.Xml.XmlDocument

edited Dec 7, 2023 at 9:27

Draken

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answered Nov 28, 2023 at 20:51

jared

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