Parse XML file for attribute from batch file

Question

I am parsing a XML file like below:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!--
-->
<configuration>
   <settings>
      <connections>
            <connection name="name1" value="connection1" type="abc"/>
            <connection name="name2" value="connection2" type="def"/>
      </connections>
   </settings>
</configuration>

From the batch file, I prompt the user for connection name. I want to parse the XML get a connection with the specified name and get its value. So If user gives name1, I want to select connection1. I had the below code from Extract XML Tag Values (Based on a Flag) Using Batch

I am not familiar with for loop in (especially delimits, tokens) batch file, so I am not sure how this works and how to make it work for me.

(for /F "tokens=1,2 delims== " %%a in (connection.config) do (
   if "%%~b" neq "" set %%a=%%~b
   if /I "!name!" equ "%name%" echo !value!
))

+1 for just being insane enough to try to parse XML in a batch script. — Polynomial
– Polynomial, Commented Apr 23, 2013 at 16:07
-1 for not being sane enough to realise parsing xml in a batch script is bad idea. (only kidding) — Tony Hopkinson
– Tony Hopkinson, Commented Apr 23, 2013 at 16:10
have a look at xmlstarlet, a set of command-line utilities that will save you from severe unhappiness. — collapsar
– collapsar, Commented Apr 23, 2013 at 16:45

Endoro · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-23 17:05:57Z

5

It works, if you use the right tokens and delimiters:

@echo off&setlocal
for /F tokens^=2^,3^,5delims^=^<^"^= %%a in (connection.config) do (
   if "%%a" equ "connection name" echo(%%b %%c
)

Output is:

name1 connection1
name2 connection2

answered Apr 23, 2013 at 17:05

Endoro

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2 Comments

Matt Williamson Over a year ago

What is the purpose of escaping everything like that. Also, why isn't there a " before Tokens?

Endoro Over a year ago

You can use double quotes to escape something or as delimiters, but not for both.

npocmaka · Accepted Answer · 2018-11-22 09:31:49Z

5

Here's the xpath.bat -small script that will allow you to get a xml values by xpath expression without using external binaries:

call xpath.bat "connection.config" "//connection/@name"
call xpath.bat "connection.config" "//connection/@value"

to assign this to a variable:

for /f "tokens=* delims=" %%# in ('xpath.bat "connection.config" "//connection/@value"') do set "connection_value=%%#"
echo %connection_value%

edited Nov 22, 2018 at 9:31

answered Feb 7, 2017 at 14:49

npocmaka

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Comments

Magoo · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-23 17:34:02Z

2

@ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL
SET "name=name1"
SET "connection="
SET "type="

for /F "tokens=5,7delims==/ " %%a in (
 'findstr /c:"<connection name=\"%name%\"" ^<connection.config'
 ) do SET connection=%%~a&SET type=%%~b

ECHO connection=%connection%
ECHO TYPE      =%type%

Finding the data line which contains the literal string "\" escapes ") then set connection to the 5th (and type for good measure) from the seventh token of the data line

        <connection name="name1" value="connection1" type="abc"/>

using =, / and [space] as delimiters.

answered Apr 23, 2013 at 17:34

Magoo

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