How to: Write Queries with Complex Filtering
Sometimes you want to write LINQ to XML queries with complex filters. For example, you might have to find all elements that have a child element with a particular name and value. This topic gives an example of writing a query with complex filtering.
Example
This example shows how to find all PurchaseOrder elements that have a child Address element that has a Type attribute equal to "Shipping" and a child State element equal to "NY". It uses a nested query in the Where clause, and the Any operator returns true if the collection has any elements in it. For information about using method-based query syntax, see LINQ Query Syntax versus Method Syntax (C#).
This example uses the following XML document: Sample XML File: Multiple Purchase Orders (LINQ to XML).
For more information about the Any operator, see Quantifier Operations.
XElement root = XElement.Load("PurchaseOrders.xml");
IEnumerable<XElement> purchaseOrders =
from el in root.Elements("PurchaseOrder")
where
(from add in el.Elements("Address")
where
(string)add.Attribute("Type") == "Shipping" &&
(string)add.Element("State") == "NY"
select add)
.Any()
select el;
foreach (XElement el in purchaseOrders)
Console.WriteLine((string)el.Attribute("PurchaseOrderNumber"));
Dim root As XElement = XElement.Load("PurchaseOrders.xml")
Dim purchaseOrders As IEnumerable(Of XElement) = _
From el In root.<PurchaseOrder> _
Where _
(From add In el.<Address> _
Where _
add.@Type = "Shipping" And _
add.<State>.Value = "NY" _
Select add) _
.Any() _
Select el
For Each el As XElement In purchaseOrders
Console.WriteLine(el.@PurchaseOrderNumber)
Next
This code produces the following output:
99505
The following example shows the same query for XML that is in a namespace. For more information, see Working with XML Namespaces.
This example uses the following XML document: Sample XML File: Multiple Purchase Orders in a Namespace.
XElement root = XElement.Load("PurchaseOrdersInNamespace.xml");
XNamespace aw = "https://www.adventure-works.com";
IEnumerable<XElement> purchaseOrders =
from el in root.Elements(aw + "PurchaseOrder")
where
(from add in el.Elements(aw + "Address")
where
(string)add.Attribute(aw + "Type") == "Shipping" &&
(string)add.Element(aw + "State") == "NY"
select add)
.Any()
select el;
foreach (XElement el in purchaseOrders)
Console.WriteLine((string)el.Attribute(aw + "PurchaseOrderNumber"));
Imports <xmlns:aw='https://www.adventure-works.com'>
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim root As XElement = XElement.Load("PurchaseOrdersInNamespace.xml")
Dim purchaseOrders As IEnumerable(Of XElement) = _
From el In root.<aw:PurchaseOrder> _
Where _
(From add In el.<aw:Address> _
Where _
add.@aw:Type = "Shipping" And _
add.<aw:State>.Value = "NY" _
Select add) _
.Any() _
Select el
For Each el As XElement In purchaseOrders
Console.WriteLine(el.@aw:PurchaseOrderNumber)
Next
End Sub
End Module
This code produces the following output:
99505