Deleting an XML object

[carlm80163462]

Hi all,

I've been having a bit of trouble deleting XML objects with ExtendScript's native delete() function. Basically I have an XML object being passed into a function like this:

makeChanges(XMLObj, XMLObj.child1);
makeChanges(XMLObj, XMLObj.child2);
makeChanges(XMLObj, XMLObj.child3);
function makeChanges(object, element)
{
     if (condition)
          delete element;
}

However, the child element is not deleted, I suspect because the "element" variable reference is still active. If the code is changed to explicitly delete the object like so:

     if (condition)
          delete object.child1

then everything works just fine, but I make quite a few calls to this function and would like the code to be re-usable if possible. I know JavaScript has a removeChild() function for XML, but does anyone know if there's an ExtendScript workaround? I've looked through the documentation and haven't seen much, so any input is greatly appreciated.

[Klaus Göbel]

Hi carlm,

"delete" is the right way.

But maybe the access to the structure of xml is wrong.

Just try my little snippet:

It creates an XML-structure, adds two items and deletes an item-

var gXML_Root = new XML ( "<FMProperties> <Item> </Item><Item></Item></FMProperties>");
 $.writeln(gXML_Root);
 // add some items
 gXML_Root.FMProperties.Item[0]= "Item 1";
 gXML_Root.FMProperties.Item[1]= "Item 2";
  $.writeln("-----------------");
  $.writeln(gXML_Root);
 // delete an item
 delete gXML_Root.FMProperties.Item[1];
   $.writeln(gXML_Root);

[carlm80163462]

Hi Klaus, thanks for replying. I'm afraid that your code is simply doing the same thing as the second example illustrated above (albeit using an index-based method, which I'm also not able to do as I can't guarantee the proper location of the child element).

if (condition)
     delete object.child1;     // same as delete object.child[indexOfChild];

What I'm seeking to do is delete the XML child object after passing it into a function as it's own entity (the parent object is also passed in, if that helps).

In your example, this would look something like this:

var gXML_Root = new XML ("<FMProperties> <Item> </Item><Item></Item></FMProperties>");
gXML_Root.FM_Properties.Item[0]= "Item 1";
gXML_Root.FM_Properties.Item[1]= "Item 2";
deleteChild(gXML_Root.FM_Properties, gXML_Root.FM_Properties.Item[1]);
function deleteChild(parent, child)
{
     delete child;          // gXML_root.FM_Properties.Item[1] is not deleted
}
$.writeln(gXML_Root);

Any ideas?

[Klaus Göbel]

Hi carlm,

another try:

I hope, it comes closer to your needs.

var gXML_Root = new XML ( "<FMProperties> <Item> </Item><Item></Item></FMProperties>");
 $.writeln(gXML_Root);
 // add some items
 gXML_Root.Item[0] = "Value 1";
 gXML_Root.Item[1]= "Item 2";
  $.writeln("-----------------");
  $.writeln(gXML_Root);
 // delete an item
 var DeleteIndex = 1;
 XML_Remove(gXML_Root,DeleteIndex)
   $.writeln(gXML_Root);
function XML_Remove(fObject,fIndex)
{
 var elem = fObject.elements();
 delete elem[fIndex];
}

[carlm80163462]

I appreciate the help Klaus. Unfortunately I can't use the index as a selector because the location of the child element within the parent element varies, which is why I pass the child element to be deleted directly into the function.

[Klaus Göbel]

Four years have passed and now I remembered this old post.
I'd like to close it now.

To delete an element

delete element 

 doesn't work as described.

Instead you have to do this:

delete element.parent().children()[element.childIndex()];

I know, that this is to late for you, but it may help other users looking for a solution.

[tracey.orso]

Hello Klaus,

I am trying to do precisely this, and yet, cannot see why it isn't working. Perhaps it will be apparent to you.

This is my code:

function remove_reasonForUpdate(elem){
//remove all <reasonForUpdate>
var rfus = getElements (elem, /^(reasonForUpdate)$/, []);
var rfu_length = rfus.length;

for (var y = 0 ; y < rfu_length ;y++) {
var rfu = rfus[y];
delete rfu.parent().children()[rfu.childIndex()];
doc.Redisplay();
}
return;
}

Can you see what I am doing wrong?

Thanks in advance,
Tracey

[frameexpert]

Hi Tracey,

Are you trying to delete elements in a FrameMaker document or in an ExtendScript XML object? This code that Klaus posted is for deleting elements from an XML object.

-Rick

[tracey.orso]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for your response. I need to delete the element from the FM document.

Thanks,

Tracey

[tracey.orso]

I've got it going ...

rfu.Delete();