Querying data from XML using node names

[reprokaiser]

Hi All,



I'm struggling with a problem for awhile. It's clear how to fetch specific data from an external dataset in PowerSwitch, but what if the data is a 'moving target'? Example:



var theDataset = job.getDataset("pi4"); // external dataset added by Callas pdfToolbox

var theOutputIntent = theDataset.evalToString( "/*/*[1]/*[4]/*[4]/*/*[4]" );



That's working fine, until the needed data is at the very same place. But in certain files the XPath should be something else, like "/*/*[1]/*[4]/*[5]/*/*[4]".



How can I query the needed info using the node names of the XML? Of course I know the node names, which are:

/report

/document

/resources

/output_intents

/output_profilename



Thanks in advance, kind regards,



Peter

[rzacherl]

Hi Peter,



simply by using the node (and maybe also attribute) names within your XPath expressions



I don't have the structure of a callas pdfToolbox XML preflight report in front of me but relying on the information you wrote the correct XPath would be



/report/document/resources/output_intents/output_intent/output_profilename



As there might be more than one output intent in a PDF file you might access a specific one by using an index:



/report/document/resources/output_intents/output_intent[1]/output_profilename



or one or more pieces of additional information which uniquely identifies the node(s) within the XML like e.g. the PDF/X compliant output intent:



/report/document/resources/output_intents/output_intent[@subtype=GTS_PDFX]/output_profilename



Unfortunately this will not work because callas defines a default name space within their report XML files and therefore you will have to define a generic name space prefix within your XPath expressions:



/default_switch_ns:report/default_switch_ns:document/default_switch_ns:resources/default_switch_ns:output_intents/default_switch_ns:output_intent[@subtype='GTS_PDFX']/default_switch_ns:output_profilename





Regards



Robert

[reprokaiser]

Hi Robert,



thanks for the quick help, it's working fine. I've never ever figured it out alone.



Kind regards,



Peter