Flash / Flex / ActionScript/XML/Equality

A comparison between an XML instance and an XMLList with only one XML instance is treated as a direct comparison between the two XML instances

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var msg1:XML = <GREETING>
           <TO>A</TO>
           <FROM>Programmer</FROM>
           <MESSAGE>Hello</MESSAGE>
         </GREETING>;
       
       var msg2:XML = <GREETING>
           <TO>A</TO>
           <FROM>Programmer</FROM>
           <MESSAGE>Hello</MESSAGE>
         </GREETING>;
       
       
       trace(msg1.FROM == msg2.*[1]);  // 

   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

An element is equal to an XML attribute if the element contains no child and the text contained by the element matches the attribute value.

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var product:XML = <PRODUCT QUANTITY="1"><COST>1</COST></PRODUCT>;
       trace(product.@QUANTITY == product.COST);  // Displays: true

   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

An element is equal to an XML instance representing a text node if the element contains no child elements, and the text it contains matches the text node"s value.

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var product:XML = <PRODUCT>
                           <COST>1</COST>
                           <QUANTITY>1</QUANTITY>
                         </PRODUCT>;
       trace(product.COST.*[0] == product.QUANTITY);  // Displays: true
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

By default, E4X ignores whitespace nodes when comparing XML for Equality

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var x1:XML = <a></a>;
       var x2:XML = <a>
                      
                    </a>;
       trace(x1 == x2);  // Still displays: true

   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Compare two xml variable

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var msg1:XML = <GREETING>
           <TO>A</TO>
           <FROM>Programmer</FROM>
           <MESSAGE>Hello</MESSAGE>
         </GREETING>;
       
       var msg2:XML = <GREETING>
           <TO>A</TO>
           <FROM>Programmer</FROM>
           <MESSAGE>Hello</MESSAGE>
         </GREETING>;
       
       trace(msg1.* == msg2.*);  // Displays: true

   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

To not to ignore whitespace nodes prior to parsing

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){

       XML.ignoreWhitespace = false;  // Don"t ignore whitespace nodes
       var x1:XML = <a></a>;
       var x2:XML = <a>
                      
                    </a>;
       trace(x1 == x2);  // Now displays: false
       
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

XML Equality

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var x1:XML = <a></a>;
       var x2:XML = <a></a>;
       trace(x1 == x2);  // Displays: true

   }
 }

}

       </source>