choosing the topic on the basis of the topic element is what I need help with.
Extracting the text content of an element is a basic XML processing task. You will find it covered extensively in the many XML tutorials to be found on the net.
You also need to become familiar with the API that describes the structure of XML documents to be found in the org.w3c.dom package in your JavaDocs.
Start with the org.w3c.dom.Node interface.
RNivas - you need to go make your name compatible with the Javaranch naming policy before a sheriff gets on your case.
Bill