XElement Class (System.Xml.Linq)

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.NET Framework Class Library

XElement Class

Updated: November 2007

Represents an XML element.

Namespace: System.Xml.Linq
Assembly: System.Xml.Linq (in System.Xml.Linq.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

Public Class XElement _
    Inherits XContainer _
    Implements IXmlSerializable

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim instance As XElement

public class XElement : XContainer, IXmlSerializable

Visual C++

public ref class XElement : public XContainer, 
    IXmlSerializable

public class XElement extends XContainer implements IXmlSerializable

JScript

public class XElement extends XContainer implements IXmlSerializable

Remarks

This class represents an XML element, the fundamental XML construct.

An element has an XName, optionally one or more attributes, and can optionally contain content (for more information, see Nodes).

An XElement can contain the following types of content:

For details about the valid content of an XElement, see Valid Content of XElement and XDocument Objects.

XElement derives from XContainer, which derives from XNode.

Some XElement methods can be used from XAML. For more information, see LINQ to XML Dynamic Properties.

Examples

The following example creates an XML tree. The content of the new element comes from a LINQ query.

XElement xmlTree1 = new XElement("Root",
    new XElement("Child1", 1),
    new XElement("Child2", 2),
    new XElement("Child3", 3),
    new XElement("Child4", 4),
    new XElement("Child5", 5),
    new XElement("Child6", 6)
);

XElement xmlTree2 = new XElement("Root",
    from el in xmlTree1.Elements()
    where((int)el >= 3 && (int)el <= 5)
    select el
);
Console.WriteLine(xmlTree2);

Visual Basic

Dim xmlTree1 As XElement = _
        <Root>
            <Child1>1</Child1>
            <Child2>2</Child2>
            <Child3>3</Child3>
            <Child4>4</Child4>
            <Child5>5</Child5>
            <Child6>6</Child6>
        </Root>

Dim xmlTree2 As XElement = _ 
    <Root>
        <%= From el In xmlTree1.Elements() _
            Where el.Value >= 3 And el.Value <= 5 _
            Select el %>
    </Root>

Console.WriteLine(xmlTree2)

This example produces the following output:

<Root>
  <Child3>3</Child3>
  <Child4>4</Child4>
  <Child5>5</Child5>
</Root>

The following is the same example, but in this case the XML is in a namespace. For more information, see Working with XML Namespaces.

XNamespace aw = "http://www.adventure-works.com";
XElement xmlTree1 = new XElement(aw + "Root",
    new XElement(aw + "Child1", 1),
    new XElement(aw + "Child2", 2),
    new XElement(aw + "Child3", 3),
    new XElement(aw + "Child4", 4),
    new XElement(aw + "Child5", 5),
    new XElement(aw + "Child6", 6)
);

XElement xmlTree2 = new XElement(aw + "Root",
    from el in xmlTree1.Elements()
    where((int)el >= 3 && (int)el <= 5)
    select el
);
Console.WriteLine(xmlTree2);

Visual Basic

Imports <xmlns="http://www.adventure-works.com">

Module Module1
    Sub Main()
        Dim xmlTree1 As XElement = _
            <Root>
                <Child1>1</Child1>
                <Child2>2</Child2>
                <Child3>3</Child3>
                <Child4>4</Child4>
                <Child5>5</Child5>
                <Child6>6</Child6>
            </Root>

        Dim xmlTree2 As XElement = _ 
            <Root>
                <%= From el In xmlTree1.Elements() _
                    Where el.Value >= 3 And el.Value <= 5 _
                    Select el %>
            </Root>

        Console.WriteLine(xmlTree2)
    End SUb
End Module

This example produces the following output:

<Root xmlns="http://www.adventure-works.com">
  <Child3>3</Child3>
  <Child4>4</Child4>
  <Child5>5</Child5>
</Root>

Inheritance Hierarchy

System..::.Object
  System.Xml.Linq..::.XObject
    System.Xml.Linq..::.XNode
      System.Xml.Linq..::.XContainer
        System.Xml.Linq..::.XElement

Thread Safety

Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.

Platforms

Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows Server 2003, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Version Information