This function returns the first result value of the XPath expression b on the XML object a. Optionally, an XPath expression can be created from the values b and c. Also, it is possible to set specific namespaces using a map, which can be defined in parameter d. Existing namespaces with the same name will be replaced. If a list name is specified in e, all values returned by the XPath query are added to the list. The first value of the XPath query is returned. Values previously stored in the list are not deleted. A default list name is not used if no list name is provided.

Parameters

Parameter	Description
a	Name of XML object. You can obtain such an object by using the functions parse XML() or convert JSON to XML().
b	XPath expression (Selection of a specific set of nodes).
c	(optional) XPath expression.
d	(optional) Name of the map for the namespace management.
e	(optional) Name of the list to store XPath query results into. Default: empty.

Example 1

Given is the following XML file, which we first read in under the name "xml_Invoice" with function "parse XML()". We can then use this name in parameter a of this function here.

Invoice.xml

<Invoice>
	<Invoice_number>INV_12345</Invoice_number>
	<Invoice_date>2014-05-21T15:25:11Z</Invoice_date>
	<Customer>
		<Customer_number>12345</Customer_number>
		<First_name>Gustav</First_name>
		<Last_name>Thalmeier</Last_name>
		<City>Treuchtlingen</City>			
		<DOB>15.07.1981</DOB>
		<Order>
			<Article_number id="123689">DE459363258</Article_number>
			<Quantity>1</Quantity>
			<Price>17,98</Price>
		</Order>
		<Order>
			<Article_number id="5896324">459363298</Article_number>
			<Quantity>1</Quantity>
			<Price>4,99</Price>
		</Order>
	</Customer>
	<Customer>
		<Customer_number>85639</Customer_number>
		<First_name>Henriette</First_name>
		<Last_name>Michlmeier</Last_name>
		<City>Breckerfeld</City>			
		<DOB>04.12.1975</DOB>
		<Order>
			<Article_number id="9832475">DE459362358</Article_number>
			<Quantity>1</Quantity>
			<Price>199,59</Price>
		</Order>
		<Order>
			<Article_number id="123659">459363258</Article_number>
			<Quantity>3</Quantity>
			<Price>7,99</Price>
		</Order>
		<Order>
			<Article_number id="123689">DE459363258</Article_number>
			<Quantity>1</Quantity>
			<Price>14,99</Price>
		</Order>
	</Customer>
</Invoice>

If a list name is specified in parameter e, we assume the list to be empty.

Parameter a	Parameter b	Parameter c	Parameter d	Parameter e	Result	Elements of the list
xml_Invoice	/NonExist
xml_Invoice	/Invoice[1]/Invoice_date				2014-05-21T15:25:11Z
xml_Invoice	/Invoice_number	/Invoice[1]			INV_12345
xml_Invoice	/Invoice[1]/Customer[1]/Customer_number				12345	12345
xml_Invoice	/Invoice[1]/Customer[2]/Customer_number				85639
xml_Invoice	//Customer_number				12345
xml_Invoice	//Customer_number			custList	12345	12345, 85639

Example 2

Given is the following XML file, which we first read in under the name "xml_ConversionRate" with function "parse XML()". We can then use this name in parameter a of this function here.

ConversionRate.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<soap:Envelope xmlns:soap="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:conversionrate="http://www.example.com">
 <soap:Body>
  <ConversionRateResponse xmlns="http://www.webserviceX.NET/">
   <ConversionRateResult>309.09</ConversionRateResult>
   <ConversionRateResult>22.15</ConversionRateResult>
   <conversionrate:Date>2017-04-03</conversionrate:Date>
  </ConversionRateResponse>
 </soap:Body>
</soap:Envelope>

Note: To be able to use the value of tag "ConversionRateResult", a map with the namespace "dw_dflt=http://www.webserviceX.NET/" has to be defined. To find results, the XPath expression has to use the respective prefix.

The map can be used to simplify namespace names.

Assume the following map for the examples:

dw_dflt=http://www.webserviceX.NET/

cr=http://www.example.com

s=http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	/NonExist
Parameter c
Parameter d
Parameter e
Result
Elements of the list

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	/Envelope[1]/Body[1]/ConversionRateResponse[1]/ConversionRateResult
Parameter c
Parameter d
Parameter e
Result	Empty (see note above)
Elements of the list

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	/soap:Envelope[1]/soap:Body[1]/ConversionRateResponse[1]/ConversionRateResult
Parameter c
Parameter d
Parameter e
Result	Empty (see note above)
Elements of the list

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	/soap:Envelope[1]/soap:Body[1]/dw_dflt:ConversionRateResponse[1]/dw_dflt:ConversionRateResult[1]
Parameter c
Parameter d	map_namespaces
Parameter e
Result	309.09
Elements of the list

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	//dw_dflt:ConversionRateResult
Parameter c
Parameter d	map_namespaces
Parameter e
Result	309.09
Elements of the list

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	/dw_dflt:ConversionRateResponse[1]/dw_dflt:ConversionRateResult
Parameter c	/soap:Envelope[1]/soap:Body[1]
Parameter d	map_namespaces
Parameter e	list_ConversionRate
Result	309.09
Elements of the list	309.09,22.15

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	/soap:Envelope[1]/soap:Body[1]/dw_dflt:ConversionRateResponse[1]/conversionrate:Date[1]
Parameter c
Parameter d
Parameter e
Result	2017-04-03
Elements of the list

Parameter a	xml_ConversionRate
Parameter b	/s:Envelope[1]/s:Body[1]/dw_dflt:ConversionRateResponse[1]/cr:Date
Parameter c
Parameter d	map_namespaces
Parameter e
Result	2017-04-03
Elements of the list

Please note that in the case of XML files with namespaces, the namespace must also be specified in the XPath expression.