How to read multiple XML files from a directory in C#?

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I have to read multiple xml files from a folder and than stored the result in a txt file with filename as "nameoffileresult" . I have mentioned the problems in comments below.

var path = @"C:\Users\himansh.jain\Downloads\Xmltesting.xml";//here i have to read multiple file like these from the same folder
           var xml = File.ReadAllText(path);
           var codes = Regex.Matches(xml, @"P\d-\d-\d-\d-\d");
           List<string> list = new List<string>();
           foreach (var code in codes)
           {
               string s = Convert.ToString(code);
               list.Add(s);
           }
           List<string> uniqueList = list.Distinct().ToList();


           uniqueList.ForEach(i => Console.WriteLine($"{i}")); //here I have to store this result as nameofxmlfile_result.txt

           Console.ReadLine();

What I have tried:

example : name of xml files in folder
test.xml
test2.xml
test3.xml

result
test_result.txt
test2_result.txt
test3_result.txt

Posted 20-Jun-21 23:14pm

Himansh jain

Updated 20-Jun-21 23:53pm

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TheRealSteveJudge · Accepted Answer · 2021-06-20T23:53:00

Solution 1

Now you must take care while development and divide the task into logical chunks.

First of all you should develop a method that takes care of just getting the codes.

static IEnumerable<string> GetCodes(string filename)
{
	var xml = File.ReadAllText(filename);

	return Regex
		.Matches(xml, @"P\d-\d-\d-\d-\d")
		.Select(x => x.Value)
		.Distinct()
		.ToList();
}

The other function is called with the path of your XML files

static void AnalyzeFiles(string path)
{
	var filenames = Directory.GetFiles(path, "*.xml");

	foreach (var filename in filenames)
	{
		var codes = GetCodes(filename);

		var destinationFilename = Path.Combine(path, $"{Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(filename)}_result.txt");

		File.WriteAllLines(destinationFilename, codes);
	}
}

It can be called like this:

AnalyzeFiles(Path.GetDirectoryName(@"c:\temp\test"));

Now you should read the Microsoft documentation in order to understand things like "Path.Combine", "Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension" etc.

Posted 20-Jun-21 23:53pm

TheRealSteveJudge

Comments

Himansh jain 21-Jun-21 6:27am

thank you for your solution , but now i am getting empty txt files. Value of ,

 Codes

is not getting written in the text files.

Himansh jain 21-Jun-21 6:39am

This code is running fine...the one you helped with before. Here I am getting values in my txt files.

using System;
using System.Xml;
using System.IO;
using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

namespace ReadXML
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
var path = @"C:\Users\himansh.jain\Downloads\cesu";
foreach (var file in System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(path))
{
var xml = File.ReadAllText(file);
Console.WriteLine(file);
var codes = Regex.Matches(xml, @"P\d-\d-\d-\d-\d");
List<string> list = new List<string>();
foreach (var code in codes)
{
string s = Convert.ToString(code);
list.Add(s);
}
List<string> uniqueList = list.Distinct().ToList();

var destinationFilename = Path.Combine(path, $"{Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(file)}_result.txt");
File.WriteAllLines(destinationFilename, uniqueList);

}

Console.ReadLine();

}
}
}

TheRealSteveJudge 21-Jun-21 6:42am

You once again did not follow my suggestions.
Please try the functions I have given you in my solution.

Himansh jain 21-Jun-21 6:54am

Sir , i followed your suggestion only

using System;
using System.Xml;
using System.IO;
using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;

namespace ReadXML
{
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
AnalyzeFiles(Path.GetDirectoryName(@"C:\Users\himansh.jain\Downloads\cesu\"));

}

static IEnumerable<string> GetCodes(string filename)
{
var xml = File.ReadAllText(filename);

return Regex
.Matches(xml, @"P\d -\d -\d -\d -\d")
.Select(x => x.Value)
.Distinct()
.ToList();
}
static void AnalyzeFiles(string path)
{
var filenames = Directory.GetFiles(path, "*.xml");

foreach (var filename in filenames)
{
var codes = GetCodes(filename);

var destinationFilename = Path.Combine(path, $"{Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(filename)}_result.txt");

File.WriteAllLines(destinationFilename, codes);
}
}
}

}

But I am getting 0 byte size txt files therefore could not find those codes in them.

TheRealSteveJudge 21-Jun-21 7:05am

Now your source code looks like mine.
Have a look at the regular expression.
Yours is @"P\d -\d -\d -\d -\d"
instead of @"P\d-\d-\d-\d-\d"
So the code attributes cannot be extracted.

Himansh jain 21-Jun-21 7:19am

Sorry , you were right . Thanks a ton. :)

TheRealSteveJudge 21-Jun-21 7:30am

You're welcome! Thanks a lot for accepting the answer and happy coding!