To write a query on XML that is in a namespace, you must use XName objects that have the correct namespace.
For C#, the most common approach is to initialize an XNamespace using a string that contains the URI, then use the addition operator overload to combine the namespace with the local name.
In Visual Basic, the most common approach is to define a global namespace, and then use XML literals and XML properties that use the global namespace. You can define a global default namespace, in which case elements in the XML literals will be in the namespace by default. Alternatively, you can define a global namespace with a prefix, and then use the prefix as required in the XML literals, and in XML properties. As with other forms of XML, attributes are always in no namespace by default.
The first set of examples in this topic shows how to create an XML tree in a default namespace in both C# and Visual Basic. The second set shows how to create an XML tree in a namespace with a prefix, also in both languages.
The following example creates an XML tree that is in a default namespace. It then retrieves a collection of elements.
Imports <xmlns="http://www.adventure-works.com">
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim root As XElement = _
<Root>
<Child>1</Child>
<Child>2</Child>
<Child>3</Child>
<AnotherChild>4</AnotherChild>
<AnotherChild>5</AnotherChild>
<AnotherChild>6</AnotherChild>
</Root>
Dim c1 As IEnumerable(Of XElement) = _
From el In root.<Child> _
Select el
For Each el As XElement In c1
Console.WriteLine(el.Value)
Next
End Sub
End Module
This example produces the following output:
In C#, you write queries in the same way regardless of whether you are writing queries on an XML tree that uses a namespace with a prefix or on an XML tree with a default namespace.
In Visual Basic, however, writing queries on an XML tree that uses a namespace with a prefix is quite different from querying an XML tree in a default namespace. Typically you use the Imports statement to import the namespace with a prefix. You then use the prefix in the element and attribute names when you construct the XML tree. You also use the prefix when querying an XML tree using XML properties.
The following example creates an XML tree that is in a namespace with a prefix. It then retrieves a collection of elements.
Imports <xmlns:aw="http://www.adventure-works.com">
Module Module1
Sub Main()
Dim root As XElement = _
<aw:Root>
<aw:Child>1</aw:Child>
<aw:Child>2</aw:Child>
<aw:Child>3</aw:Child>
<aw:AnotherChild>4</aw:AnotherChild>
<aw:AnotherChild>5</aw:AnotherChild>
<aw:AnotherChild>6</aw:AnotherChild>
</aw:Root>
Dim c1 As IEnumerable(Of XElement) = _
From el In root.<aw:Child> _
Select el
For Each el As XElement In c1
Console.WriteLine(CInt(el))
Next
End Sub
End Module
This example produces the following output:
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