An example how to apply xsl transformation to a single XmlNode in C#

Question

Here is what I'm trying to do: I've got an XmlDocument, which is already loaded into memory. I want to apply an xsl transformation to a single node of that document.

here's the code:

var xDoc=GetXmlDocument();
var myNode=xDoc.SelectSingleNode("//node");
var xslTransformer=new XslCompiledTransform(); 
xslTransformer.Load(new XmlTextReader(new StringReader(myXslText)));

Now I need to apply xslTransformer on myNode. Can anyone show me a code example, which does that? What I've seen so far only works with input and output files.

Dimitre Novatchev · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-29 18:51:21Z

6

Here is an example how to do this, taken from the MSDN documentation:

// Load an XPathDocument.
XPathDocument doc = new XPathDocument("books.xml");

// Locate the node fragment.
XPathNavigator nav = doc.CreateNavigator();
XPathNavigator myBook = nav.SelectSingleNode("descendant::book[@ISBN = '0-201-63361-2']");

// Create a new object with just the node fragment.
XmlReader reader = myBook.ReadSubtree();
reader.MoveToContent();

// Load the style sheet.
XslCompiledTransform xslt = new XslCompiledTransform();
xslt.Load("single.xsl");

// Transform the node fragment.
xslt.Transform(reader, XmlWriter.Create(Console.Out, xslt.OutputSettings));

For more information see: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/wkx4fcc4.aspx

Do note:

When you transform data contained in an XmlDocument or XPathDocument object the XSLT transformations apply to a document as a whole. In other words, if you pass in a node other than the document root node, this does not prevent the transformation process from accessing all nodes in the loaded document. To transform a node fragment, you must create a separate object containing just the node fragment, and pass that object to the Transform method.

This is why applying the transformation on a node of a document may cause unexpected and unwanted results -- for example the transformation can access other nodes, that aren't in the provided node's subtree -- such as siblings or ancestors.

This is why I strongly recommend not to simply call Transform() on any node (other than a document-node).

edited Feb 29, 2012 at 18:51

answered Feb 29, 2012 at 16:31

Dimitre Novatchev

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2 Comments

kaj Over a year ago

Please note that my answer did not say that you can use the node within the document without consequence. All I said was that you can pass a node into the Transform method. The link I included has guidance on it including your full quote above regarding affecting the document. I'm upvoting your answer for being clearer on this

Dimitre Novatchev Over a year ago

@KAJ: Yes, thank you, and thank you for editing your answer, too.

Dimitre Novatchev · Accepted Answer · 2012-02-29 18:49:13Z

3

To apply the transformer you use the Transform method which works on anything that implements IXPathNavigable which includes XmlNode. See http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms163430(v=vs.100).aspx for information.

If this isn't what you require can you update the question to describe what you want as output.

EDIT: please note the guidance in the accepted answer (and in the page in the link above) that if you pass a node in that is part of a document it can affect the whole document. Therefore, it is better not to apply a transformation to a node inside an XML document.

edited Feb 29, 2012 at 18:49

Dimitre Novatchev

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answered Feb 29, 2012 at 15:24

kaj

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