Flash / Flex / ActionScript/XML/toString

Converting an Attribute to a String

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var novel:XML = <BOOK ISBN="0141182806">
           <TITLE>Actionscript</TITLE>
           <AUTHOR>J, K</AUTHOR>
           <PUBLISHER>Penguin Books Ltd</PUBLISHER>
         </BOOK>;
       
       
       trace(novel.@ISBN.toString(  ));  // 
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Converting an XML Element to a String

   <source lang="java">

package{

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

       var novel:XML = <BOOK ISBN="0141182806">
           <TITLE>Actionscript</TITLE>
           <AUTHOR>J, K</AUTHOR>
           <PUBLISHER>Penguin Books Ltd</PUBLISHER>
         </BOOK>;
       
       
       trace(novel.toString(  ));  // Displays:
       trace(novel.TITLE.toString(  ));  // Displays: Actionscript
       
       trace(novel.TITLE.toXMLString(  ));  // Displays: <TITLE>Actionscript</TITLE>
       
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Difference between toString and toXMLString

   <source lang="java">

package{

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

var p:XML =

&>

;

       trace(p.toString(  ));     // Displays: &>

trace(p.toXMLString( )); // Displays:

&>

   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

If the XML object in question contains only a single node only the text value of the node will be returned

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var movieList:XML = <listName>My favorite movies</listName>;
       trace(movieList.toString());
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Printing Pretty

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var example:XML = <stooges>
                            <moe /><curly><larry>
           </larry>
                                  </curly>
                  </stooges>;
       XML.prettyPrinting = false;
       trace(example);
       
       
       XML.prettyPrinting = true;
       trace(example);
       
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

Setting the Number of Spaces per Indentation

   <source lang="java">

package{

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

       var example:XML = <stooges>
                            <moe /><curly><larry>
           </larry>
                                  </curly>
                  </stooges>;
       
       XML.prettyIndent = 0;
       trace(example);
       
       XML.prettyIndent = 8;
       trace(example);
   }
 }

}

       </source>
   
  

The toXMLString() method always return the full XML tag and all values contained within an element.

   <source lang="java">

package{

 import flash.display.Sprite;
 
 public class Main extends Sprite{
   public function Main(){
       var meal:XML = <meal>
                          <name>Dinner</name>
                          <course number="1">
                              <item>Salad</item>
                          </course>
                          <course number="2">
                              <item>Potatoes</item>
                              <item temperature="Medium Rare">Steak</item>
                          </course>
       
                      </meal>;
       
       trace(meal.name); // Displays: Dinner
       trace(meal.course[0]); // Displays: <course number="1">
       
       trace(meal.course[1].item[0].toXMLString()); // Displays: <item>Potatoes</items>
       trace(meal.course[1].item[1].toString()); // Displays: Steak
       trace(meal.course[1].item[1].@temperature.toXMLString()); 
       trace(meal..item.toString());
       
   }
 }

}

       </source>