Can't access xml tags directly:: Namespace issue

[lheinem99]

It appears that I've found another case of "Flash does (this) great. EXCEPT . . . . . "

I've posted my issue on a couple forums with no replies. Rather than repost I'll just put the link here and hope SOMEBODY has an answer.

http://www.actionscript.org/forums/showthread.php3?p=1137057#post1137057

[kglad]

you need to use that namespace to reference xml elements.  try:

var s:Namespace=xml.namespace();

trace(xml.s::responseDeclaration);

[lheinem99]

doesn't work.

the xml is from DITA markup. I know nothing about it. It was given to me with instructions.

[lheinem99]

putting your code in throws an error:

1046: Type was not found or was not a compile-time constant: NameSpace.

[kglad]

what are your publish settings?

[lheinem99]

I'm publishing for 3.0 out of CS5

[lheinem99]

Namespace requires a small s.

I can now trace responseDeclaration. How do I access its children? How does that code even work for that matter?

[kglad · Accepted solution]

oops, you're correct.

i fixed that in message 1 so, you can mark that as correct if you found it helpful.

there are 2 ways a namespace can be used in xml.  the way you are using it, the namespace applies to each and every node within the xml.

to reference each of every node (but not attribute) you must use the namespace string:

trace(xml.s::responseDeclaration.s::mapping.s::mapEntry.@mapKey);

trace(xml.s::responseDeclaration.s::mapping.s::mapEntry.(@mapKey=="A").@mappedValue);

[lheinem99]

Hallalejah.

Thank you very much!

[kglad]

you're welcome.

[lheinem99]

One last question: Would it be possible to traverse the xml tags using tagnames stored in variables?

The only problem I see with this method is that it's very "static" to type in

xml.s::responseDeclaration.s::correctResponse.s::value

is there a way to say:

var correctAnswer = "responseDeclaration.s::correctResponse.s::value"

to then get

xml.s::child(correctAnswer);

That way dealing with changing xml structures could be handled in the variables section of my code.

[kglad]

i'm not sure what you're asking.  but if you are asking for a short cut to traverse your xml, you can use the double dot:

trace(xml..s::simpleChoice);

[lheinem99]

While that's helpful, I'm looking for a way to store "simpleChoice" as a string to reference somehow.

as in

xml.s::(string for simpleChoice)

[kglad]

use array notation:

var itemS:String="simpleChoice";

.

.

.

var simpleChoiceList:XMLList = xml..s::[itemS];

[lheinem99]

kglad, you're the man. Over the past 3 years I've posted probably a half dozen problems on various sights, and you are officially the first one to answer any of them with a solution. (well maybe 2nd, but still)

I tip my hat to you. Thanks!

[kglad]

you're welcome!

[lheinem99]

Can you please explain to me why this works with your code? Everything I've found on the subject doesn't reference a double colon anywhere.
How would I access child nodes of responseDeclaration?