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Mis3's avatar
Mis3
Frequent Contributor
4 years ago

How to retrieve one particular parameter in an XML response of duplicate parameter name

Below is the response of an API I am working with. There are a few sections of <balance> with identical parameter names. Using this statement, def MESSAGE3 = xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscrib...
  • richie's avatar
    richie
    4 years ago
    Hey Mis3,

    Im on my phone so i cant try and replicate in ReadyAPI, but i notice youre not using indices in your xpath, hence the reason im guessing youre retrieving all the values that correspond to the code elements' values, rather than just a single value.

    Im a bit out or practice cos ive been purely json for the last 3 years, but in your xpath:

    xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance.quota.code whereas i think if you add an index, this indicates which balance element is the correct parent in the tree for the code element value you want.

    I cant really see the repeating structure properly on my phone and someone else will be able to confirm or deny this, but if in your xpath, rather than:

    xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance.quota.code

    You instead add:

    xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[1].quota.code then this will result in grabbing the code elements value that is a child of the first instance of the balance element (i.e. 'XPLOR_INTERNATIONAL')

    Likewise if you wanted the 2nd code elements value:

    xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[2].quota.code

    This will result in grabbing the code elements value that is a child of the second instance of the balance element (i.e.'ROLLOVER_10')

    Likewise if you wanted the 3rd code elements value:

    xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[3].quota.code

    This will result in grabbing the code elements value that is a child of the third instance of the balance element (i.e.'XPLOR_EXTENDED')

    As i say....been quite a while since i was scripting with xml, but i remember its something like the above.

    Hope this helps,

    Rich
richie's avatar
richie
Community Hero
4 years ago
Hey Mis3,

Im on my phone so i cant try and replicate in ReadyAPI, but i notice youre not using indices in your xpath, hence the reason im guessing youre retrieving all the values that correspond to the code elements' values, rather than just a single value.

Im a bit out or practice cos ive been purely json for the last 3 years, but in your xpath:

xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance.quota.code whereas i think if you add an index, this indicates which balance element is the correct parent in the tree for the code element value you want.

I cant really see the repeating structure properly on my phone and someone else will be able to confirm or deny this, but if in your xpath, rather than:

xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance.quota.code

You instead add:

xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[1].quota.code then this will result in grabbing the code elements value that is a child of the first instance of the balance element (i.e. 'XPLOR_INTERNATIONAL')

Likewise if you wanted the 2nd code elements value:

xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[2].quota.code

This will result in grabbing the code elements value that is a child of the second instance of the balance element (i.e.'ROLLOVER_10')

Likewise if you wanted the 3rd code elements value:

xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[3].quota.code

This will result in grabbing the code elements value that is a child of the third instance of the balance element (i.e.'XPLOR_EXTENDED')

As i say....been quite a while since i was scripting with xml, but i remember its something like the above.

Hope this helps,

Rich
  • Mis3's avatar
    Mis3
    Frequent Contributor
    4 years ago

    Thanks.  Your suggestion worked but I ran into some complications.

     

    I saw that when I ran the Groovy for many subscribers, depending on the subscribers, the API responses can have different numbers of <balance>.    In my example in the original post, there are 3 balances:  XPLOR_INTERNATIONAL, Xplor_Monthly and Extended_Quota_Monthly.  There are other responses which have 2 balances and some have 4 balances.

     

    Another complication is the balance sections of the responses are not aligned.    In my example, Xplor_Monthly is the 2nd entry of the <balance>, turns out that it can be in the 1st, 3rd or even 4th entry of <balance>.

     

    I guess what I have to do is:

    1.  Find out how many sections of <Balance>:  def MESSAGE10 = xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance.size() 

    2.  Check if the balance[x].code starting from x=0

    3.  If balance[x].code = "Xplor_Monthly", output balance[x].quota.code.  Else, check with x=x+1

     

    Not sure if there is a better way.

    Thanks.

     

     

    • Mis3's avatar
      Mis3
      Frequent Contributor
      4 years ago

      Got it done.   Thanks for your help.

       

      I did this:

      def MESSAGE8 = ""
      def xx = xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance.size()
      for(int k =0; k < xx; k++)
      {
      MESSAGE7 = xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[k].code
      if (MESSAGE7 == 'Xplor_Monthly' )
      {
      MESSAGE8 = xml.Body.GetSubscriberResponse.subscriber.balance[k].quota[0].code
      break
      }
      }