XML querying and manipulation in JavaScript using Regex - get dirty and feel dirty.
- Less code, more clarity to perform simple manipulation and data retrieval
- Able to work directly with unsanitized ("dirty") XML, which would require painstaking cleanup if a proper XML parser is used instead
- Doesn't need to deal with namespacing, when it's not relevant to the task at hand
- API request and response (simple and predictable structures)
- XML export from business applications (often poorly coded and unsanitized)
- Where the power of a proper parser is not needed and a lightweight solution is preferred
- One off parsing of XML data where speed and simplicity trumps all
- Can't handle nested elements with the same name (will pick the first end tag)
- Ignores namespace and leave in place, also a feature
- Ignores attributes and leave in place
- Right now I don't need to manipulate or read attributes so they are not supported, I may add it later
Initialize with XM() function, you can optionally supply it with a string, or start with a blank slate.
Either invoke it directly as XM(string), or create save it to an oject as a new instance: let data = new XM(string).
Access its methods to manipulate and retrieve data (chainable except those that returns a string).
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
fill(element, string) |
Replace element content |
replace(element, string) |
Replace element |
prepend(element, string) |
Insert string into element, at the beginning |
append(element, string) |
Insert string into element, at the end |
before(element, string) |
Insert string before element |
after(element, string) |
Insert string after element |
remove(...element) |
Remove element(s), accept multiple element names as arguments |
empty(element) |
Empty element, remove all content |
get(element) |
Return content of first element as string, cannot be chained |
getAll(element) |
Return content of all elements as array of strings, cannot be chained |
render() |
Return XML string, cannot be chained |
Example
XM(`
<note>
<to>Tove</to>
<from>Jani</from>
<heading>Reminder</heading>
<body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>
</note>
`)
.fill('to','John')
.empty('from')
.after('heading','<date>2022-03-17</date>')
.render();
/*
<note>
<to>John</to>
<from></from>
<heading>Reminder</heading>
<date>2022-03-17</date>
<body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>
</note>
*/
XM(`
<note>
<to>Tove</to>
<from>Jani</from>
<heading>Reminder</heading>
<body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>
</note>
`)
.get('heading');
/*
Reminder
*/
XM(`
<cars>
<car>Honda</car>
<car>Toyota</car>
<car>Dodge</car>
<car>Chrysler</car>
</cars>
`)
.getAll('car');
/*
['Honda','Toyota','Dodge','Chrysler']
*/A helper construction function X() is provided to convert objects into XML.
X({
note:{
to:'Tove',
from:'Jani',
heading:'Reminder',
body:'Don\'t forget me this weekend!',
}
});
/*
<note>
<to>Tove</to>
<from>Jani</from>
<heading>Reminder</heading>
<body>Don't forget me this weekend!</body>
</note>
*/
It can also handle arrays
X({
cars:{
car:['Honda','Toyota','Dodge','Chrysler']
}
});
/*
<cars>
<car>Honda</car>
<car>Toyota</car>
<car>Dodge</car>
<car>Chrysler</car>
</cars>
*/
Have fun, and don't forget that now you have two problems.