XML DOM - Create Nodes

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XML DOM Tutorial
DOM HOME
DOM Introduction
DOM Nodes
DOM Node Tree
DOM Parsing
DOM Load Function
DOM Methods
DOM Accessing
DOM Node Info
DOM Node List
DOM Traversing
DOM Browsers
DOM Navigating
Manipulate Nodes
DOM Get Values
DOM Change Nodes
DOM Remove Nodes
DOM Replace Nodes
DOM Create Nodes
DOM Add Nodes
DOM Clone Nodes
DOM HttpRequest
XML DOM Reference
DOM Node Types
DOM Node
DOM NodeList
DOM NamedNodeMap
DOM Document
DOM DocumentImpl
DOM DocumentType
DOM ProcessingInstr
DOM Element
DOM Attribute
DOM Text
DOM CDATA
DOM Comment
DOM HttpRequest
DOM ParseError Obj
DOM Parser Errors
DOM Summary
Examples
DOM Examples
DOM Validator

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# XML DOM Create Nodes

## Examples

The examples below use the XML file books.xml.
A function, loadXMLDoc(), in an external JavaScript is used to load the XML file.

Create an element node
This example uses createElement() to create a new element node, and appendChild() to add it to a node.

Create an attribute node using createAttribute
This example uses createAttribute() to create a new attribute node, and setAttributeNode() to insert it to an element.

Create an attribute node using setAttribute
This example uses setAttribute() to create a new attribute for an element.

Create a text node
This example uses createTextNode() to create a new text node, and appendChild() to add it to an element.

Create a CDATA section node
This example uses createCDATAsection() to create a CDATA section node, and appendChild() to add it to an element.

Create a comment node
This example uses createComment() to create a comment node, and appendChild() to add it to an element.

## Create a New Element Node

The createElement() method creates a new element node:

    xmlDoc=loadXMLDoc("books.xml");

    newel=xmlDoc.createElement("edition");

    x=xmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("book")[0];
    x.appendChild(newel);

Example explained:

1. Load "books.xml" into xmlDoc using loadXMLDoc()
2. Create a new element node <edition>
3. Append the element node to the first <book> element

Try it yourself

Loop through and add an element to all <book> elements: Try it yourself

## Create a New Attribute Node

The createAttribute() is used to create a new attribute node:

    xmlDoc=loadXMLDoc("books.xml");

    newatt=xmlDoc.createAttribute("edition");
    newatt.nodeValue="first";

    x=xmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("title");
    x[0].setAttributeNode(newatt);

Example explained:

1. Load "books.xml" into xmlDoc using loadXMLDoc()
2. Create a new attribute node "edition"
3. Set the value of the attribute node to "first"
4. Add the new attribute node to the first <title> element

Try it yourself

Loop through all <title> elements and add a new attribute node: Try it yourself

Note: If the attribute already exists, it is replaced by the new one.

## Create an Attribute Using setAttribute()

Since the setAttribute() method creates a new attribute if the attribute does not exist, it can be used to create a new attribute.

    xmlDoc=loadXMLDoc("books.xml");

    x=xmlDoc.getElementsByTagName('book');
    x[0].setAttribute("edition","first");

Example explained:

1. Load "books.xml" into xmlDoc using loadXMLDoc()
2. Set (create) the attribute "edition" with the value "first" for the first <book> element

Try it yourself

Loop through all <title> elements and add a new attribute: Try it yourself

## Create a Text Node

The createTextNode() method creates a new text node:

    xmlDoc=loadXMLDoc("books.xml");

    newel=xmlDoc.createElement("edition");
    newtext=xmlDoc.createTextNode("first");
    newel.appendChild(newtext);

    x=xmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("book")[0];
    x.appendChild(newel);

Example explained:

1. Load "books.xml" into xmlDoc using loadXMLDoc()
2. Create a new element node <edition>
3. Create a new text node with the text "first"
4. Append the new text node to the element node
5. Append the new element node to the first <book> element

Try it yourself

Add an element node, with a text node, to all <book> elements: Try it yourself

## Create a CDATA Section Node

The createCDATASection() method creates a new CDATA section node.

    xmlDoc=loadXMLDoc("books.xml");

    newCDATA=xmlDoc.createCDATASection("Special Offer & Book Sale");

    x=xmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("book")[0];
    x.appendChild(newCDATA);

Example explained:

1. Load "books.xml" into xmlDoc using loadXMLDoc()
2. Create a new CDATA section node
3. Append the new CDATA node to the first <book> element

Try it yourself

Loop through, and add a CDATA section, to all <book> elements: Try it yourself

## Create a Comment Node

The createComment() method creates a new comment node.

    xmlDoc=loadXMLDoc("books.xml");

    newComment=xmlDoc.createComment("Revised March 2008");

    x=xmlDoc.getElementsByTagName("book")[0];
    x.appendChild(newComment);

Example explained:

1. Load "books.xml" into xmlDoc using loadXMLDoc()
2. Create a new comment node
3. Append the new comment node to the first <book> element

Try it yourself

Loop through, and add a comment node, to all <book> elements: Try it yourself

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