unable to remove spaces in xml

hi,
i tried to delete an element in xml..for that i used servlet coding...it is getting deleted but blank spaces are remaining i dont want that blank spaces..can any one do me needfull..here is my code..can any one check it

thanks in advance,
madhu

i had edited the code

Please choose the correct forum for XML related questions. I'll move this from the Servlets forum to the XML forum.

the code is in servlet...from servlet im deleting xml file

madhuri kunchala wrote:the code is in servlet...from servlet im deleting xml file

(His point was that the question has nothing to do with servlets, and everything to do with XML. You could be calling the same code from Swing, an Applet, a console program, anywhere.)

Define "it doesn't remove spaces". At what point do you see the spaces? What happens if you print out the node value immediately after removing the spaces?

k..i got it..it is moved to xml..no one is responding to my question...

it is going to delete and spaces are left..example here is my sample xml

'original xml file'

<PACKS>
<MA05>
<GENERAL>
<PACK_NAME>WAP_05</PACK_NAME>
<ACT_STATUS>MA05</ACT_STATUS>
<DEACT_STATUS>MD05</DEACT_STATUS>
<ALLOW_POSTPAID>TYPE,2:</ALLOW_POSTPAID>
<SHORT_CODE>1</SHORT_CODE>
<ACT_KEYWORD>MOM</ACT_KEYWORD>
<DEACT_KEYWORD>UMO</DEACT_KEYWORD>
<ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<ONLY_BILLING>YES</ONLY_BILLING>
<BAL_TO_CHK>0</BAL_TO_CHK>
<VALIDITY>1</VALIDITY>
<SET_PSOBIT>F:M:R_1_L:R_2_L:</SET_PSOBIT>
<ACT_PSOBIT>1</ACT_PSOBIT>
<DEACT_PSOBIT>1</DEACT_PSOBIT>
<ACT_MASKBIT>1</ACT_MASKBIT>
<DEACT_MASKBIT>1</DEACT_MASKBIT>
<LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>F,10:A,5:</LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>
<ALERT_MSG_TIME>0</ALERT_MSG_TIME>
<RETRY_PROPERTIES>START_TIME,10:</RETRY_PROPERTIES>
<MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>LOW_BAL,REVERT:</MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>
<LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>YES</LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>
<MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>0</MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>
</GENERAL>
</MA05>
<MA01>
<GENERAL>
<PACK_NAME>WAP_01</PACK_NAME>
<ACT_STATUS>MA01</ACT_STATUS>
<DEACT_STATUS>MD01</DEACT_STATUS>
<ALLOW_POSTPAID>TYPE,1:</ALLOW_POSTPAID>
<SHORT_CODE>1</SHORT_CODE>
<ACT_KEYWORD>MOM</ACT_KEYWORD>
<DEACT_KEYWORD>UMO</DEACT_KEYWORD>
<ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<ONLY_BILLING>YES</ONLY_BILLING>
<BAL_TO_CHK>0</BAL_TO_CHK>
<VALIDITY>1</VALIDITY>
<SET_PSOBIT>NO</SET_PSOBIT>
<ACT_PSOBIT>1</ACT_PSOBIT>
<DEACT_PSOBIT>1</DEACT_PSOBIT>
<ACT_MASKBIT>1</ACT_MASKBIT>
<DEACT_MASKBIT>1</DEACT_MASKBIT>
<LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>NO</LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>
<ALERT_MSG_TIME>0</ALERT_MSG_TIME>
<RETRY_PROPERTIES>MAX_PER_DAY,5:</RETRY_PROPERTIES>
<MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>LOW_BAL,REVERT:</MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>
<LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>YES</LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>
<MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>0</MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>
</GENERAL>
</MA01>
<MA00>
<GENERAL>
<PACK_NAME>WAP_01</PACK_NAME>
<ACT_STATUS>MA00</ACT_STATUS>
<DEACT_STATUS>MD00</DEACT_STATUS>
<ALLOW_POSTPAID>TYPE,1:</ALLOW_POSTPAID>
<SHORT_CODE>1</SHORT_CODE>
<ACT_KEYWORD>MOM</ACT_KEYWORD>
<DEACT_KEYWORD>UMO</DEACT_KEYWORD>
<ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<ONLY_BILLING>YES</ONLY_BILLING>
<BAL_TO_CHK>0</BAL_TO_CHK>
<VALIDITY>1</VALIDITY>
<SET_PSOBIT>NO</SET_PSOBIT>
<ACT_PSOBIT>1</ACT_PSOBIT>
<DEACT_PSOBIT>1</DEACT_PSOBIT>
<ACT_MASKBIT>1</ACT_MASKBIT>
<DEACT_MASKBIT>1</DEACT_MASKBIT>
<LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>NO</LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>
<ALERT_MSG_TIME>0</ALERT_MSG_TIME>
<RETRY_PROPERTIES>MAX_PER_DAY,5:</RETRY_PROPERTIES>
<MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>LOW_BAL,REVERT:</MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>
<LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>YES</LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>
<MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>0</MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>
</GENERAL>
</MA00>
</PACKS>

after doing delete of the pack..the output is

<PACKS>
<MA05>
<GENERAL>
<PACK_NAME>WAP_05</PACK_NAME>
<ACT_STATUS>MA05</ACT_STATUS>
<DEACT_STATUS>MD05</DEACT_STATUS>
<ALLOW_POSTPAID>TYPE,2:</ALLOW_POSTPAID>
<SHORT_CODE>1</SHORT_CODE>
<ACT_KEYWORD>MOM</ACT_KEYWORD>
<DEACT_KEYWORD>UMO</DEACT_KEYWORD>
<ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<ONLY_BILLING>YES</ONLY_BILLING>
<BAL_TO_CHK>0</BAL_TO_CHK>
<VALIDITY>1</VALIDITY>
<SET_PSOBIT>F:M:R_1_L:R_2_L:</SET_PSOBIT>
<ACT_PSOBIT>1</ACT_PSOBIT>
<DEACT_PSOBIT>1</DEACT_PSOBIT>
<ACT_MASKBIT>1</ACT_MASKBIT>
<DEACT_MASKBIT>1</DEACT_MASKBIT>
<LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>F,10:A,5:</LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>
<ALERT_MSG_TIME>0</ALERT_MSG_TIME>
<RETRY_PROPERTIES>START_TIME,10:</RETRY_PROPERTIES>
<MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>LOW_BAL,REVERT:</MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>
<LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>YES</LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>
<MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>0</MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>
</GENERAL>
</MA05>

<MA00>
<GENERAL>
<PACK_NAME>WAP_01</PACK_NAME>
<ACT_STATUS>MA00</ACT_STATUS>
<DEACT_STATUS>MD00</DEACT_STATUS>
<ALLOW_POSTPAID>TYPE,1:</ALLOW_POSTPAID>
<SHORT_CODE>1</SHORT_CODE>
<ACT_KEYWORD>MOM</ACT_KEYWORD>
<DEACT_KEYWORD>UMO</DEACT_KEYWORD>
<ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</ACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>1</DEACT_SUCCESS_SWITCHACTIVATE>
<ONLY_BILLING>YES</ONLY_BILLING>
<BAL_TO_CHK>0</BAL_TO_CHK>
<VALIDITY>1</VALIDITY>
<SET_PSOBIT>NO</SET_PSOBIT>
<ACT_PSOBIT>1</ACT_PSOBIT>
<DEACT_PSOBIT>1</DEACT_PSOBIT>
<ACT_MASKBIT>1</ACT_MASKBIT>
<DEACT_MASKBIT>1</DEACT_MASKBIT>
<LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>NO</LOW_BAL_RETRY_DAYS>
<ALERT_MSG_TIME>0</ALERT_MSG_TIME>
<RETRY_PROPERTIES>MAX_PER_DAY,5:</RETRY_PROPERTIES>
<MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>LOW_BAL,REVERT:</MULTIPLEACT_PROPERTIES>
<LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>YES</LOW_BAL_MIGRATE_AGRS>
<MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>0</MINSAT_COMMAND_ERROR_RESP_RETRY_COUNT>
</GENERAL>
</MA00>
</PACKS>

im getting spaces like this

</MA05>

<MA00>
i.e after end of first pack and start of next pack..

As far as XML is concerned, those spaces (and line breaks and tabs) are valid Nodes of type TEXT and are part of the DOM.

Bill

And why does it matter if there's whitespace between elements?

but i dont need that spaces...can you suggest me how to delete that spaces..here is my code..

public static void delNode(java.io.File file, Document parent, String filtervalue)
            throws Exception 
{
        NodeList nodeList = parent.getElementsByTagName("PACK_NAME");
        for (int i = 0; i < nodeList.getLength(); i++) 
          {
              Node child = nodeList.item(i);
              System.out.println("child " + child.getTextContent());
              if (child.getTextContent() != null && child.getTextContent().trim().equalsIgnoreCase(filtervalue.trim()))
              {
                  Node packNode = child.getParentNode().getParentNode();
                  Node packsNode = parent.getFirstChild();
                  packsNode.removeChild(packNode);
                  break;
              }
          }
       parent.getDocumentURI().trim();
       parent.normalizeDocument();
       parent.normalize();

TransformerFactory factory = TransformerFactory.newInstance();
       Transformer transformer = factory.newTransformer();
       transformer.setOutputProperty(OutputKeys.INDENT, "yes");

StringWriter sw = new StringWriter();
        StreamResult result = new StreamResult(sw);

DOMSource source = new DOMSource(parent);
        transformer.transform(source, result);
        String xmlString = sw.toString();

BufferedWriter bw = new BufferedWriter(new OutputStreamWriter(
                new FileOutputStream(file)));
        bw.write(xmlString);
        bw.flush();
        bw.close();
    }
}

can you check my code and tell me where to do modifications...i tried.but i didnt got it...waiting for your reply.

Why do you care if there are spaces?

because client needs full xml file with no whitespaces..thats why..

Then they're parsing XML wrong.

can you provide me where is wrong i'll do it ..im so thankful if you provide me the solution..

I'd probably just post-process the output file since you're not in control of how the transformer chooses to render XML (unless you are, in which case figure out what property needs to be set).

madhuri kunchala wrote:can you provide me where is wrong i'll do it ..im so thankful if you provide me the solution..

Whoever is *PARSING* it is wrong. Inter-nodal whitespace should be completely ignored if it's being parsed correctly.

i need is to remove blankspaces if i delete any pack....i used trim() concept at line 18..but not working..it is not taking trim() function...

Omg.

Stop and think.

You already have the information you need - the offending blank lines are a child node of type TEXT_NODE and a direct child of the PACKS element (document root ?)

You want the TEXT_NODE between your MAxx Elements to only have one formatting crlf instead of several.

Now - how those extra lines got in there is not clear from my cursory examination of your code, but you should be able to locate the TEXT_NODE and change it.

Bill

i tried according what you had suggested by unable to remove spaces..

David Newton wrote:I'd probably just post-process the output file since you're not in control of how the transformer chooses to render XML (unless you are, in which case figure out what property needs to be set).

With the caveat that this is silly, because inter-nodal space shouldn't matter.

Why are you doing this:

See javax.xml.transform.OutputKeys - a yes authorizes the transformer to insert additional whitespace.

Bill
(I should have noticed that before, sorry. My excuse is I never use that setting.)

hi good morning,
i modified my code and run my code...even though im getting the same problem....here is my modified code...

what should be done..inorder to remove spaces..

David Newton wrote:

David Newton wrote:I'd probably just post-process the output file since you're not in control of how the transformer chooses to render XML (unless you are, in which case figure out what property needs to be set).

With the caveat that this is silly, because inter-nodal space shouldn't matter.

According to William Brogden, i had changed my transformer code...eventhough same problem arises....is there any solution for my problem..

David Newton wrote:

David Newton wrote:

David Newton wrote:I'd probably just post-process the output file since you're not in control of how the transformer chooses to render XML (unless you are, in which case figure out what property needs to be set).

With the caveat that this is silly, because inter-nodal space shouldn't matter.

I suppose you could always treat it as a pure text problem, reading the file line by line and discarding blank lines, writing the lines with content to a new file, which what David meant by "post process".

Or the equivalent in memory with a custom OutputStream - however I suspect that your code or the transformer you are using is somehow introducing the extra blank lines.

Bill

hi,
i checked line by line...but i didnt see that where to remove the blank lines...

What?

here is my code..i had some modifications inorder to remove whitespaces in xml file..but it is not get deleted...can you suggest me the solution

Er. Anyway, go through the output file line by line and remove any lines that are entirely whitespace, just like William already said. Still with the caveat that this should in no way be necessary if the XML is being parsed in any reasonable way. You realize you're talking about non-significant whitespace between elements, right?

hi,
According to William and David i checked line by line and i used 'OutputStream' also..but im unable to remove the spaces...here is my modified code...can anyone help in this issue..

public class delete extends HttpServlet {

public void doPost(HttpServletRequest request, HttpServletResponse response)
            throws ServletException, IOException {

response.setContentType("text/html");
        PrintWriter pw = response.getWriter();
        String packName = request.getParameter("packName");

try {
            DocumentBuilderFactory builderFactory = DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance();
            builderFactory.setIgnoringElementContentWhitespace(false);
            DocumentBuilder docBuilder = builderFactory.newDocumentBuilder();
            
            // Creating the path for XML File using Properties
            ServletContext servletContextObj = request.getSession().getServletContext();
            String excelTemplatesPath = servletContextObj.getRealPath("/");
            String filePaths = excelTemplatesPath + File.separator
                    + "config.properties";
            Properties propObj = new Properties();
            propObj.load(new FileInputStream(filePaths));
            String gprsLoginPath = null;
            gprsLoginPath = propObj.getProperty("GPRS_LOGIN_PATH");
            if (gprsLoginPath.trim() == null || gprsLoginPath.trim().equals("")) {
                gprsLoginPath = excelTemplatesPath.trim();
            }
            gprsLoginPath += File.separator + "login.xml";
            java.io.File file = new java.io.File(gprsLoginPath.trim());
            Document doc = null;
            if (file.exists()) {
                try {
                    doc = docBuilder.parse(file);
                    doc.normalizeDocument();
                } catch (Exception ex) {
                    doc = docBuilder.newDocument();
                    doc.normalize();
                    Element root = doc.createElement("PACKS");
                    doc.appendChild(root);
                    doc.normalize();
                }
            } else {
                doc = docBuilder.newDocument();
                doc.normalize();
                // Creating Root Tag
                Element root = doc.createElement("PACKS");
                doc.appendChild(root);
            }

delNode(file, doc, packName);
            pw.println("<b>Xml File Deleted Successfully</b>");
        } catch (Exception e) {
            System.out.println(e);
        }
    }

public static void delNode(java.io.File file, Document parent, String filtervalue)
            throws Exception {
        NodeList nodeList = parent.getElementsByTagName("PACK_NAME");
       for (int i = 0; i < nodeList.getLength(); i++) {
            Node child = nodeList.item(i);
            child.getTextContent().trim();
            System.out.println("child " + child.getTextContent());
            
            if (child.getTextContent() != null &&child.getTextContent().trim().equalsIgnoreCase(filtervalue.trim())) {
                Node packNode = child.getParentNode().getParentNode();
                packNode.getTextContent().trim();
                Node packsNode = parent.getFirstChild();
                packsNode.setNodeValue(filtervalue.trim());
                packsNode.removeChild(packNode);
                packsNode.getTextContent().trim();
                break;
            }
        }
        parent.normalizeDocument();
        parent.normalize();
       
        // TransformerFactory instance is used to create Transformer objects.
        TransformerFactory factory = TransformerFactory.newInstance();
        Transformer transformer = factory.newTransformer();
        transformer.setOutputProperty(OutputKeys.INDENT,"no" );
        // create string from xml tree
        StringWriter sw = new StringWriter();
        StreamResult result = new StreamResult(sw);
        result.setOutputStream(null);
        DOMSource source = new DOMSource(parent);
        transformer.transform(source, result);
        String xmlString = sw.toString().trim();
        xmlString.trim();
        BufferedWriter bw = new BufferedWriter(new OutputStreamWriter(
                new FileOutputStream(file)));
        bw.write(xmlString);
        bw.flush();
        bw.close();
   }
}

waiting for the reply..

1) Open the XML file you've written.
2) Read it line-by-line
3) For each line that is not only whitespace write it to a new XML file.

Now do you understand?