Re: How to remove empty XML elements using XML::LibXML

[choroba]

If you want to use a namespace prefix, you have to register it first:

#!/usr/bin/perl
use warnings;
use strict;

use XML::LibXML;

my $xml = XML::LibXML->load_xml( location => '1.xml');
my $xpc = XML::LibXML::XPathContext->new($xml);
$xpc->registerNs('contact', 'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:contact-1.0');
for my $name (qw(rem add)) {
    for my $node ($xpc->findnodes("//contact:$name".'[not(*|text()|@*|
+processing-instruction()|comment())]', $xml->documentElement)) {
        $node = $node->parentNode->removeChild($node);
    }
}
print $xml->serialize;

[FreakyGreenLeaky]

Thanks - that works perfectly when operating on 1.xml or another XML document object.

Your sample uncovered another layer/problem:

my XML document comes from Net::EPP::Frame (cpan.org says "This module implements a subclass of the XML::LibXML::Document..."), so I'm doing something wrong when I try:

use Net::EPP::Frame;

my $frame = Net::EPP::Frame::Command::Update::Contact->new;
#...
my $xpc = XML::LibXML::XPathContext->new($frame);
$xpc->registerNs('contact', 'urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:contact-1.0');
for my $name (qw(rem add)) {
        for my $node ($xpc->findnodes("//contact:$name".'[not(*|text()
+|@*|processing-instruction()|comment())]', $frame->documentElement)) 
+{
            $node = $node->parentNode->removeChild($node);
        }
}

print $frame->toString(1);

My thinking is that because Net::EPP::Frame inherits from XML::LibXML::Document, I should be able to operate on $frame (the XML document) similarly to your original solution... but I'm missing something.

[choroba]

I have no experience with Net::EPP::Frame. What error do you get, or how is the output different from your expectations? Also, what does ref $frame say?

[FreakyGreenLeaky]

Running my sample code produces no change at all, and no error. The offending XML elements are still there.

ref $frame says

Net::EPP::Frame::Command::Update::Contact