Handling special characters in XML string

[pankajv]

We are building a XML string in VB. Is there any function available which can be used to handle the special characters like "&", " ' " etc. so that the program does not fail when the string is loaded in the parser.

 

[JustinEzequiel]

Can you post what your final XML is going to look like so that I can possibly make some suggestions?

 

[pankajv]

My XML will look like:
<XROADS><ITEM Desc='Name & Description' Date='01/01/2001' Comment='Percentage growth is < 20%'/></XROADS>

 

[CodeFish]

pankajv,

The Function I use is:-

Public Function XMLFormat(sFieldData As Variant) As Variant
'----------------------------------------------------------
' Author: Codefish
'
' Date: 15/8/2001
'
' History:
'
' Purpose: - Replaces Illegal Characters for their
' XML Equivalent (eg &quot;&&quot
'
'----------------------------------------------------------

XMLFormat = sFieldData

If Len(XMLFormat) > 0 Then
'Replace Illegal Chars
XMLFormat= Replace(XMLFormat, &quot;&&quot;, &quot;&amp;&quot
XMLFormat= Replace(XMLFormat, &quot;<&quot;, &quot;&lt;&quot
XMLFormat= Replace(XMLFormat, &quot;>&quot;, &quot;&gt;&quot
XMLFormat= Replace(XMLFormat, &quot;'&quot;, &quot;&apos;&quot
XMLFormat= Replace(XMLFormat, Chr(34), &quot;&quot;&quot

'Ilegal Char in I.E. 6
XMLFormat= Replace(XMLFormat, &quot;£&quot;, &quot;&163;&quot
Else
XMLFormat= &quot;&quot;
End If

End Function

Regards,

Codefish

 

[CodeFish]

Oops,

forgot that the Browser will render the HTML replacements.

The Replace lines should use the following:-

amp, lt, gt, apos, quot respectively.


Codefish

 

[JustinEzequiel]

you can (only if you like) use the MSXML parser to build your string

it would take care of converting special characters for you

Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click()
  Dim oDOM As DOMDocument40
  Dim oElem As IXMLDOMElement
  
  Set oDOM = New DOMDocument40
  
  oDOM.appendChild oDOM.createElement("XROADS")
  Set oElem = oDOM.createElement("ITEM")
  oDOM.documentElement.appendChild oElem
  oElem.setAttribute "Desc", "Name & Description"
  oElem.setAttribute "Date", "01/01/2001"
  oElem.setAttribute &quot;Comment&quot;, &quot;Percentage growth is < 20%&quot;
  Set oElem = Nothing
  
  Text1.Text = oDOM.xml
  
  Set oDOM = Nothing
End Sub

' this gives me the following in the Text Box:
'
'<XROADS><ITEM Desc=&quot;Name &amp; Description&quot; Date=&quot;01/01/2001&quot; Comment=&quot;Percentage growth is &lt; 20%&quot;/></XROADS>