Search code examples
xmllinuxbashxpathxmlstarlet

xmlstarlet XPath expression selects single result rather than multiple


I have an XML file having structure like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<hudson>
    <authorizationStrategy>
        <roleMap type="globalRoles">
            <role name="Employees">
                <assignedSIDs>
                    <sid>abc</sid>
                    <sid>bcd</sid>                      
                </assignedSIDs>
            </role>
        </roleMap>
        <roleMap type="projectRoles">   
            <role name="test1" pattern=".*">
                <assignedSIDs>
                    <sid>abc</sid>
                    <sid>zxc</sid>
                </assignedSIDs>
            </role>
            <role name="test2" pattern=".*">
                <permissions/>
                <assignedSIDs>
                    <sid>abc</sid>
                    <sid>ghi</sid>
                </assignedSIDs>
            </role>
            <role name="test3" pattern=".*">
                <permissions/>
                <assignedSIDs>
                    <sid>abc</sid>
                </assignedSIDs>
            </role>
        </roleMap>
    </authorizationStrategy>
</hudson>

Previously, I didn't gave the whole structure in question and the xpath i got in solution, didn't gave the result what I expected (on my system, but it gave to the person who answered my question) in following link search tag attribute value based on child node value using XmlStarlet

AS mentioned in that link, I want to find role tag name attribute based on value of sid tag. for eg: if I search for abc, the query must return Employees, test1, test2 and test3.

Here's the script I used:

xmlstarlet sel -t -v "//role[.//sid = 'abc']/@name" test.xml

but it gave me only 'Employees'.

I am using LINUX /bash. Please tell me, what I am missing in XPATH expression.


Solution

  • The XPath and xmlstarlet command you use,

    xmlstarlet sel -t -v "//role[.//sid = 'abc']/@name" test.xml
    

    already results in the following strings being returned,

    Employees
    test1
    test2
    test3
    

    as requested.

    Your XPath is correct; your xmlstarlet command line is correct. Recheck the filename you're using and the directory from which you're running the xmlstarlet. Recheck how you're using the results of the xmlstarlet command in your actual context. In this simplified form you've posted, the expected results are precisely what's being returned.


    Update: Sorry to hear you're still stuck. The last idea I have is to post a detailed transcript to provide proof that this should be working so that you can retrace your steps and try to see where your path may be different:

    c:\gd\usr\kjh\proj\try\xml
    > cat test.xml
    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
    <hudson>
        <authorizationStrategy>
            <roleMap type="globalRoles">
                <role name="Employees">
                    <assignedSIDs>
                        <sid>abc</sid>
                        <sid>bcd</sid>
                    </assignedSIDs>
                </role>
            </roleMap>
            <roleMap type="projectRoles">
                <role name="test1" pattern=".*">
                    <assignedSIDs>
                        <sid>abc</sid>
                        <sid>zxc</sid>
                    </assignedSIDs>
                </role>
                <role name="test2" pattern=".*">
                    <permissions/>
                    <assignedSIDs>
                        <sid>abc</sid>
                        <sid>ghi</sid>
                    </assignedSIDs>
                </role>
                <role name="test3" pattern=".*">
                    <permissions/>
                    <assignedSIDs>
                        <sid>abc</sid>
                    </assignedSIDs>
                </role>
            </roleMap>
        </authorizationStrategy>
    </hudson>
    
    c:\gd\usr\kjh\proj\try\xml
    > xmlstarlet sel -t -v "//role[.//sid = 'abc']/@name" test.xml
    Employees
    test1
    test2
    test3
    c:\gd\usr\kjh\proj\try\xml
    > xmlstarlet --version
    1.5.0
    compiled against libxml2 2.9.1, linked with 20901
    compiled against libxslt 1.1.28, linked with 10128
    
    c:\gd\usr\kjh\proj\try\xml
    > systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version"
    OS Name:                   Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
    OS Version:                6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
    c:\gd\usr\kjh\proj\try\xml
    >
    

    Final update:

    OP noticed that his version of xmlstarlet (v1.0.1) was considerably older than the one I used in the above transcript (xmlstarlet v1.5.0). Upgrading to the latest version of xmlstarlet resolved the problem.