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Formula - xpath2

The xPath2 Formula function returns the values in XML content that match an XPath 2.0 expression.

Note

Use xPath when its forward-only XPath 1.0 subset is enough (see Allowed XPath expressions); it is the lighter choice for large XML. Use xPath2 when the expression needs more, such as a predicate on a child element.

Syntax 

xPath2('expression', content)

Parameters

Parameter Required Description
'expression' Yes An XPath 2.0 expression in single quotes. A literal ' inside it is written '', as in [Name=''EmployeeID''].
content Yes The XML text: body, context, or the result of another function, such as base64decode (see Formula language rules).

Returns

The text value of every matching node, one value each; duplicates are collapsed. When nothing matches, nothing is returned.

Examples

Example 1: Read a value by the name next to it

Input 

<Root>
    <Ids>
        <Id>
            <Name>EmployeeID</Name>
            <Value>1337</Value>
        </Id>
        <Id>
            <Name>Company</Name>
            <Value>ACME</Value>
        </Id>
    </Ids>
</Root>

Formula 

xPath2('/Root/Ids/Id[Name=''EmployeeID'']/Value', body)

Result 

1337

Formula xPath2 expression with a child-element predicate returning 1337 in the Test Expression tab
The predicate [Name='EmployeeID'] tests a child element of Id, then the expression returns the sibling Value. The screenshot writes xpath2; function names are case-insensitive.

Notes

  • The predicate in the example is also valid XPath 1.0 syntax, but it tests a child element, which the forward-only reader of xPath doesn't support; it supports predicates on attributes of the current element only.
  • xPath2 doesn't use the forward-only reader, so expect it to use more resources than xPath on large messages.

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