How to render XML nodes and its sub nodes in the exact order as they appear but from a deserialized Model?

[waelsaad]

Hi,

I really need some help with this question as I have been struggeling with it on my own for some time and I 've been trying lots of different XML libraries but XMLHash is the one I've extensivly spent my time on.

I have 1000+ XML files that I am loading dynamically and the order of how the nodes and the sub nodes appear is important to perserve because each XML file will be turned into a readable article in a SwiftUI view.

I have already implemented a solution for my problem using recursive for loops using this approach to handle all the different types of nodes:

func enumerate(indexer: XMLIndexer) {
    for child in indexer.children {
        print(child.element!.name)
        enumerate(child)
    }
}

enumerate(indexer: xml)

However I created a completely deserializable model that covers all the possible scenarios of how the nodes and its sub nodes can appear and I would like to loop thru that deserialized object directly once we read the content of the XML file in a SwiftUI view and try to render it correctly.

Probablly in the same way if we were trying to render a HTML file to display all the nodes in the same order. I need to do the same for my XML files but from the deserializable object.

I am not sure what is the best approach to do this.

Please let me know if I haven't explained my problem properlly or you need me to paste code attempts. If you know of a solution please share. Thanks

Here is a simple version of a sample XML file structure but please keep in minde how the sub nodes are nested and their order can be different for every other file.

<Document xmlns="http://copticbook.nettrinity.co" Agpeya="true">
   <Title>
      <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
      <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
   </Title>

   <Comment>
      <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
      <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
   </Comment>

   <Season id="Mesh">
      <Title>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Title>

      <InsertDocument path="antiphonary/Introduction"/>

      <Section expanded="true">
         <Title>
             <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
             <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
         </Title>
      </Section>
   </Season>

   <Reference reference="Ps" type="section"/>

   <Season id="Test">
      <Kference reference="Ac" type="section"/>
   </Season>

   <LinkDocument path="incns">
       <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
       <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
   </LinkDocument>

   <Season id="Test">
      <LinkDocument path="Test">
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </LinkDocument>
   </Season>

   <Section expanded="true">
      <Title>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Title>

      <Text>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Text>
   </Section>

   <Section expanded="true">
      <Title>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Title>

      <Text>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Text>
   </Section>

   <Role id="Test">
      <Text>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Text>

        <Section expanded="true">
          <Title>
              <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
              <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
          </Title>

          <Text>
              <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
              <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
          </Text>
       </Section>

   </Role>

   <Comment>
      <Language id="English">
         The following Test are reserved
         <ul>
            <li>Test 1</li>
            <li>Test 15</li>
            <li>Test 142</li>
         </ul>
      </Language>
   </Comment>

   <Role id="Test">
     <Group>
        <Season id="Test">
           <BibleReference reference="Test" type="section"/>
        </Season>
     </Group>
  </Role>

   <Role id="Test">
      <Text>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Text>
   </Role>

   <Role id="Test">
      <Section expanded="true">
         <Title>
             <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
             <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
         </Title>

         <Text>
             <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
             <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
         </Text>
      </Section>
   </Role>

   <InsertDocument path="include/Test"/>

   <Section expanded="true">
      <Title>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Title>

      <Role id="Reader">
         <Text>
             <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
             <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
         </Text>
      </Role>

      <InsertDocument path="include/Test"/>

      <Role id="Test">
         <Text>
             <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
             <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
         </Text>
      </Role>

      <InsertDocument path="include/Test"/>

      <Role id="Test">
         <Text>
             <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
             <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
         </Text>
      </Role>
   </Section>

   <Section expanded="true">
      <Title>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Title>

      <Text>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Text>
   </Section>

   <Section expanded="true">
      <Title>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Title>

      <Text>
          <Language id="English">Lang 1</Language>
          <Language id="Other">Lang 2</Language>
      </Text>
   </Section>

</Document>

This is incorrect implementation because the order of the nodes is still messed up. but you get the idea.

struct ArticleScene: View {
    @StateObject var viewModel: ReaderViewModel
    @State private var currentNode: XMLNode?

    var body: some View {
        ScrollView {
            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 16) {
                if let document = viewModel.document {
                    processNode(node: .document(document))
                }
            }
            .padding()
        }
    }

    @ViewBuilder
    private func processNode(node: XMLNode) -> some View {
        switch node {
        case .document(let document):
            if let title = document.title {
                displayTitle(title)
            }
            displayTexts(texts: document.texts)
            displaySections(sections: document.sections)
        case .text(let text):
            if let text {
                displayText(text)
            }
        case .section(let section):
            if let title = section?.title {
                displayTitle(title)
            }
            if let texts = section?.texts {
                displayTexts(texts: texts)
            }
        default:
            EmptyView()
        }
    }

    @ViewBuilder
    private func displayTitle(_ title: XML.Title) -> some View {
        displayLanguages(title.languages)
    }

    @ViewBuilder
    private func displayText(_ text: XML.Text) -> some View {
        displayLanguages(text.languages)
    }

    @ViewBuilder
    private func displaySections(sections: [XML.Section]) -> some View {
        ForEach(sections, id: \.self) { section in
            if let title = section.title {
                displayTitle(title)
            }
            displayTexts(texts: section.texts)
        }
    }

    @ViewBuilder
    private func displayTexts(texts: [XML.Text]) -> some View {
        ForEach(texts, id: \.self) { text in
            displayText(text)
        }
    }

    @ViewBuilder
    private func displayLanguages(_ languages: [XML.LanguageNode] = []) -> some View {
        ForEach(languages, id: \.self) { item in
            if let value = item.value {
                Text(value)
            }
        }
    }

}

[waelsaad]

Is it possible for a SWXMLHash deserialized object to have an exposed .childern property that can keep track of all the nodes in a sequential manner? In general each deserialized object should be able to know all of its nodes

    for child in document.children {
        print(child.element!.name)
    }

Thanks

[waelsaad]

I have implemented the .children solution on the deserialized object. I do belive this is something that should be offered by SWXMLHash. Thanks

[drmohundro]

Hey @waelsaad glad you were able to get it figured out! I was traveling this weekend and saw on my phone, but hadn't had a chance to reply yet. Hope everything is well!

[waelsaad]

Hi @drmohundro thank you very much and I appreciate the response. I hope you had a safe flight and all is well with you also. :)