Hello! I'm trying to parse an XML file, sample of which is below. 

<Aritcle>
  <Main>
   <Sect>
     <H4>Include</H4>
      .....
      <P1> This is the criteria</P1>
      <L>
        <LI>
          <LI_Label>1.</LI_Label>
          <LI_Title>Critera 1</LI_Title>
         </LI>
         <LI>
          <LI_Label>2.</LI_Label>
          <LI_Title>Critera 2</LI_Title>
         </LI>
          <LI>
          <LI_Label>3.</LI_Label>
          <LI_Title>Critera 3</LI_Title>
         </LI>
          <LI>
          <LI_Label>4.</LI_Label>
          <LI_Title>Critera 3</LI_Title>
         </LI>
        </Sect>
     </Main>
   </Article>

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I am using: XML::LibXML for parsing this. I can easily get the entire section of lists. However, my problem is I just need to know how many LIST elements are there. One way I was thinking is:

1. Parse the xml for the sec4. store contents in array

2. Loop through array until I get the first LIST element. Track counter;

3. Increment counter for each LIST element found until the last LIST element is reached.

While this approach may work, I feel this is very kludgy. So I am looking to see if there is an elegant way I can count the number of list elements in a section

The challenge ofcourse is that not every XML file I am parsing has the exact same structure. There could be variations where the <P1> This is the criteria</P1> may not exist before the start of the list.

Hoping someone here has some thoughts on how best I can capture the count of list elements

Sadly, I cannot use XPath here since I have an entire piece of code built around LibXML parsing. Also I'm having an Xpath installation nightmare which I just cannot get past.

Thanks so much in advance.

Regards,Madbee

In reply to XML parsing and Lists by madbee

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