How to add an XML child element to an existing XML file?

Question

Considering..

Orig.xml

<LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout" Version="1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification">
  <LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
  <DefaultLayoutOverride>
    <StartLayoutCollection>
      <defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">
        <start:Group Name="COM">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Open All COM Sessions.lnk" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Close all COM Sessions.lnk" />
        </start:Group>
        <start:Group Name="Office">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\PowerPoint 2016.lnk" />
        </start:Group>
      </defaultlayout:StartLayout>
    </StartLayoutCollection>
  </DefaultLayoutOverride>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

StartMenuLayout-MOD.xml

<LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout" Version="1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification">
  <LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
  <DefaultLayoutOverride>
    <StartLayoutCollection>
      <defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">
        <start:Group Name="My-Tools">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.AutoGenerated.{20529041-3E03-352B-AC38-58B1C8A14CBF}" />
        </start:Group>
        <start:Group Name="COM">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Open All COM Sessions.lnk" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Close all COM Sessions.lnk" />
        </start:Group>
        <start:Group Name="Office">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\PowerPoint 2016.lnk" />
        </start:Group>
      </defaultlayout:StartLayout>
    </StartLayoutCollection>
  </DefaultLayoutOverride>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

I would like to programmatically add the My-Tools section (shown in StartMenuLayout-MOD.xml) to Orig.xml so that both files end up identical.

Below, is what I have so far; which is probably wrong:

[xml]$xmlOrig = Get-Content C:\Orig.xml
[xml]$xmlDoc = Get-Content C:\StartMenuLayout-MOD.xml

$child = $xmlDoc.LayoutModificationTemplate.DefaultLayoutOverride.StartLayoutCollection.StartLayout.group | ?{$_.Name -eq "My-Tools"}

Ultimately, I would like to save the contents of $child to my script.. so, I can add it to an existing XML file that's structured similarly without needing StartMenuLayout-MOD.xml.

Doug Maurer · Accepted Answer · 2021-03-11 00:06:58Z

2

Working off your existing code, you have to import the node and then prepend it.

[xml]$xmlOrig = Get-Content C:\Orig.xml
[xml]$xmlDoc = Get-Content C:\StartMenuLayout-MOD.xml

$child = $xmlDoc.LayoutModificationTemplate.DefaultLayoutOverride.StartLayoutCollection.StartLayout.group | ?{$_.Name -eq "My-Tools"}

$newnode = $xmlOrig.ImportNode($child,$true)

$xmlOrig.LayoutModificationTemplate.DefaultLayoutOverride.StartLayoutCollection.StartLayout.prependchild($newnode)

$xmlOrig.save('C:\Orig.xml')

You could just add this in your script so you don't have to pull from a file

[xml]$xmlDoc = @'
<LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout" Version="1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification">
  <LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
  <DefaultLayoutOverride>
    <StartLayoutCollection>
      <defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">
        <start:Group Name="My-Tools">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationID="Microsoft.AutoGenerated.{20529041-3E03-352B-AC38-58B1C8A14CBF}" />
        </start:Group>
        <start:Group Name="COM">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Open All COM Sessions.lnk" />
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Close all COM Sessions.lnk" />
        </start:Group>
        <start:Group Name="Office">
          <start:DesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\PowerPoint 2016.lnk" />
        </start:Group>
      </defaultlayout:StartLayout>
    </StartLayoutCollection>
  </DefaultLayoutOverride>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>
'@

This is equivalent to the Get-Content line.

edited Mar 11, 2021 at 0:06

answered Mar 10, 2021 at 23:04

Doug Maurer

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5 Comments

Doug Maurer Over a year ago

I'd run it again. $child | get-member should show typename: System.Xml.XmlElement#http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout#Group

MKANET Over a year ago

Thank you so much. How can I artificially create $newnode in a PowerShell script (so I don't have to mess with $xmlDoc at all)? How can I export $newnode's contents into my Powershell script?

MKANET Over a year ago

No worries if its too much work to add this enhancement to you answer. I'll give you the credit for it anyway. I really appreciate your time.

Doug Maurer Over a year ago

I’m not sure but what if you just put that chunk of text in your script? Give me a few and I’ll add example

MKANET Over a year ago

I got it all working! Both as a chunk of text in the script as well as gc from a file. Thanks so much!

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