parseXML returns INVALID XML in Google Apps Script

Question

In a Javascript file in Google Apps Script (not Google Script but a Caja-ed Javascript), I want to parse a string to an XML document. Outside of GAS this works:

$.parseXML("<root><message>Hello World</message></root>");

But in a GS file:

<script type="text/javascript">
var xml = $.parseXML("<root><message>Hello World</message></root>");
alert(xml);
</script>

the parseXML claims my xml is invalid. I assume this is something weird with whatever pre-processing GAS does to my JavaScript (Caja?). Is there a solution? I've tried with Jquery 1.11 and 1.9.0

Answer 1

Unfortunately, Caja does not support XML DOM.

If anyone is interested in what it would take to contribute such support, the main additions to the DOM taming component which would be needed are:

• Support for XML namespaces. (Currently all elements and attributes are assumed to be in the (X)HTML namespace.)
• Support for “inert” Documents which are not associated with a virtual frame (or in spec language, a browsing context). For an example of the difference, in an inert document you should be able to insert a <html:script> element without Caja concluding the script should be actually executed.