Parsing an XML from Online in Android

By James | April 21, 2012

In the previous example I showed how to parse an xml that is stored in a file in res/xml folder.
In this post I will show you how to parse an xml that is stored in a server in an xml file.

Here I am using an xml that is stored in here

Here is the java code for that.

First create a fresh project and name it ParseXMLDemo

Then in the ParseXMLDemo.java file copy this code

package com.coderzheaven.pack;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.HashMap;
import org.w3c.dom.Document;
import org.w3c.dom.Element;
import org.w3c.dom.NodeList;
import android.app.ListActivity;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.AdapterView;
import android.widget.ListAdapter;
import android.widget.ListView;
import android.widget.SimpleAdapter;
import android.widget.Toast;
import android.widget.AdapterView.OnItemClickListener;

public class ParseXMLDemo extends ListActivity {
    @Override
    public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.main);

        ArrayList<HashMap<String, String>> mylist = new ArrayList<HashMap<String, String>>();

        String xml = ParseXMLMethods.getXML();
        Document doc = ParseXMLMethods.XMLfromString(xml);

        int numResults = ParseXMLMethods.numResults(doc);

        if((numResults <= 0)){
        	Toast.makeText(ParseXMLDemo.this, "There is no data in the xml file", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
        	finish();
        }

		NodeList children = doc.getElementsByTagName("os");

		for (int i = 0; i < children.getLength(); i++) {
			HashMap<String, String> map = new HashMap<String, String>();
			Element e = (Element)children.item(i);
			map.put("id", ParseXMLMethods.getValue(e, "id"));
        	map.put("name", ParseXMLMethods.getValue(e, "name"));
        	map.put("site", ParseXMLMethods.getValue(e, "site"));
        	mylist.add(map);
		}

        ListAdapter adapter = new SimpleAdapter(this, mylist , R.layout.list_layout,
                        new String[] { "name", "site" },
                        new int[] { R.id.title, R.id.subtitle});

        setListAdapter(adapter);

        final ListView lv = getListView();
        lv.setOnItemClickListener(new OnItemClickListener() {
        	public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {
        		@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
				HashMap<String, String> o = (HashMap<String, String>) lv.getItemAtPosition(position);
        		Toast.makeText(ParseXMLDemo.this,o.get("name"), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
			}
		});
    }
}

Now create another java file inside the src folder and name it ParseXMLMethods.java and copy this contents into it.

package com.coderzheaven.pack;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.StringReader;
import javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilder;
import javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory;
import javax.xml.parsers.ParserConfigurationException;
import org.apache.http.HttpEntity;
import org.apache.http.HttpResponse;
import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpPost;
import org.apache.http.impl.client.DefaultHttpClient;
import org.apache.http.util.EntityUtils;
import org.w3c.dom.Document;
import org.w3c.dom.Element;
import org.w3c.dom.Node;
import org.w3c.dom.NodeList;
import org.xml.sax.InputSource;
import org.xml.sax.SAXException;


public class ParseXMLMethods {

	public final static Document XMLfromString(String xml){

		Document doc = null;

		DocumentBuilderFactory dbf = DocumentBuilderFactory.newInstance();
        try {

			DocumentBuilder db = dbf.newDocumentBuilder();

			InputSource is = new InputSource();
	        is.setCharacterStream(new StringReader(xml));
	        doc = db.parse(is);

		} catch (ParserConfigurationException e) {
			System.out.println("XML parse error: " + e.getMessage());
			return null;
		} catch (SAXException e) {
			System.out.println("Wrong XML file structure: " + e.getMessage());
            return null;
		} catch (IOException e) {
			System.out.println("I/O exeption: " + e.getMessage());
			return null;
		}
        return doc;
	}

	 public final static String getElementValue( Node elem ) {
	     Node kid;
	     if( elem != null){
	         if (elem.hasChildNodes()){
	             for( kid = elem.getFirstChild(); kid != null; kid = kid.getNextSibling() ){
	                 if( kid.getNodeType() == Node.TEXT_NODE  ){
	                     return kid.getNodeValue();
	                 }
	             }
	         }
	     }
	     return "";
	 }

	 public static String getXML(){
			String line = null;

			try {

				DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
				HttpPost httpPost = new HttpPost("http://coderzheaven.com/xml/test.xml");

				HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPost);
				HttpEntity httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity();
				line = EntityUtils.toString(httpEntity);

			} catch (Exception e) {
				line = "Internet Connection Error >> " + e.getMessage();
			}
			return line;
	}

	public static int numResults(Document doc){
		Node results = doc.getDocumentElement();
		int res = -1;
		try{
			res = Integer.valueOf(results.getAttributes().getNamedItem("count").getNodeValue());
		}catch(Exception e ){
			res = -1;
		}
		return res;
	}

	public static String getValue(Element item, String str) {
		NodeList n = item.getElementsByTagName(str);
		return ParseXMLMethods.getElementValue(n.item(0));
	}
}

Now the main layout file main.xml

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">

    <ListView
	 	android:id="@id/android:list"
	    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
	    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
	    android:layout_weight="1"
	    android:background="#FF0000"
	 	android:drawSelectorOnTop="false" />
</LinearLayout>

Create another file named list_layout.xml inside the layout folder and copy this code into it.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:padding="7dp"
    >
<TextView
	android:id="@+id/title"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
    android:padding="2dp"
    android:textSize="20dp"
    android:textStyle="bold"
    />
    <TextView
	android:id="@+id/subtitle"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:padding="2dp"
    android:textSize="14dp"
    android:textColor="#000000" />
</LinearLayout>

This is the Strings.xml file

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>
    <string name="hello">Hello World, ParseXMLDemo!</string>
    <string name="app_name">ParseXMLDemo Coderzheaven.com</string>
</resources>

Now you are done go on and run the application.

Parse XML in Android

Get the full source code from here and don’t forget to comment on this post.

29 thoughts on “Parsing an XML from Online in Android”

yogo January 24, 2012

works perfectly, but I have problems with some characters such as: í, ó, “, and others I could not know how to fix.

any suggestions for viewing these characters well.

Reply ↓
1. mehmet December 28, 2012
  
  HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPost);
  HttpEntity httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity();
  
  line = EntityUtils.toString(httpEntity, “UTF-8”);
  (ParseXMLMethods.java)
  
  Reply ↓
Kennedy February 17, 2012

Works well but i get a toast message that “There is no data in XML file.” I’ve even recreated the file and saved it on my localhost. what am suposed to do for the data to be displyed?

Thanks!

Reply ↓
yogo February 22, 2012

I followed all the steps, shows no error or anything, just that some characters appear so, and no where to fix it.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/62280731/Sin%20t%C3%ADtulo.png

apparently has something to do with the encoding or something.

Reply ↓
1. James Post authorFebruary 22, 2012
  
  @Yogo :- Are you reading this from your own xml.
  
  Reply ↓
2. yogo February 22, 2012
  
  looks like I have the XML
  
  http://dl.dropbox.com/u/62280731/noticias_cuadrante.xml
  
  I accept any kind of help and / or suggestions to correct this issue.
  
  Reply ↓
  1. James Post authorFebruary 22, 2012
    
    Try setting the text in the textView as HTML text. There is nothing to do with the parsing for this issue.
    
    Reply ↓
TienTien April 2, 2012

i don’t know what version android u use, i have some error in file ParseXMLMethods.java

Reply ↓
1. James Post authorApril 2, 2012
  
  Can you see the error description, then paste it here. I used android 2.2
  
  Reply ↓
Jin April 20, 2012

Code compiled easily. However whenever I try to run the code I get “There is no data in XML file”.
I noticed that when the app gets to the getXml() method it catches the exception “Internet connection error” instead of returning the xml in string form.

Is there something I’m missing? I’m using an android 2.3.3 AVD

Reply ↓
1. admin April 20, 2012
  
  Hello Jin :- Did you add the internet permission in the Manifest file.
  
  Reply ↓
  1. Jin April 20, 2012
    
    You’re amazing.
    
    Anyway you can get the test xml file back up? 🙂 🙂 🙂
    
    Reply ↓
    1. James Post authorApril 21, 2012
      
      Thanks Jim for pointing out that mistake. Actually I forgot to copy that when I changed my server.
      
      Reply ↓
Bram van Gemert May 6, 2012

Hi there,
I followed your tutorial but when i try to run the application it crashes right away.
And it gives a nullpointer exception.
I didnt change the code or anything just copy pasted it…

FYI its a android 2.3.3 project

Reply ↓
1. James Post authorMay 6, 2012
  
  Check the Logcat and find the line where are you getting the NullPointer exception. Paste that line here. I will check it.
  
  Reply ↓
Bram van Gemert May 6, 2012

its gives the error over here:

int numResults = ParseXMLMethods.numResults(doc);

if((numResults <= 0)){
Toast.makeText(ParseXMLDemo.this, "There is no data in the xml file", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
finish();
}

when it checks iF numResults is equal or lower then 0. it crashes with a nullpointer. So i guess the numResults var isnt created the way it should. So its never really available

Reply ↓
1. Bram van Gemert May 6, 2012
  
  I’ve tried to fix this for over an hour now but it doesnt matter what i try it just wont work. Even when i give int numResults a fixed value of 2. its keeps crashing. How is this possible?
  
  Reply ↓
  1. James Post authorMay 6, 2012
    
    Did you tried downloading the complete source code of the post I provided below the post.
    
    Reply ↓
    1. Bram van Gemert May 6, 2012
      
      Yeah I tried that but it only works in that project. Even when i try to copy the classes and the layout files it. It gives a nullpointer.
      
      Reply ↓
      1. James Post authorMay 7, 2012
        
        OK then it’s your problem. You missed something, may be the permissions in the Manifest file.
        Recheck the project.
Bram van Gemert May 7, 2012

I Checked every piece of the project but couldnt find it. Will check tomorrow morning again. But one quick question. If I use this code in an android 2.3.3 project then it should run fine right? its not like they changed the implementation of some lines of code?

Reply ↓
1. James Post authorMay 8, 2012
  
  May be, not sure.
  
  Reply ↓
Marko May 10, 2012

hello world 🙂 i have one problem, using this code i create an application which reads RSS from one webpage, but in that RSS i have tag and with this url tag i must to switch to a new RSS. can you please help me..i know i must create a new for loop for this but it doesnt works. This is my code, sorry for my bad english..:)

ArrayList<HashMap> mylist = new ArrayList<HashMap>();

String xml = ParseXMLMethods.getXML(“http://www.sapunice.net/xmlapp/serije.php”);
Document doc = ParseXMLMethods.XMLfromString(xml);

//int numResults = ParseXMLMethods.numResults(doc);
int numResults = 19;

if((numResults <= 0)){
Toast.makeText(ParseXMLDemoActivity.this, "There is no data in the xml file", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
finish();
}

NodeList children = doc.getElementsByTagName("item");

for (int i = 0; i < numResults ; i++) {
HashMap map = new HashMap();
Element e = (Element)children.item(i);
map.put(“img”, ParseXMLMethods.getValue(e, “img”));
map.put(“title”, ParseXMLMethods.getValue(e, “title”));
map.put(“url”, ParseXMLMethods.getValue(e, “url”));

// parsiramo rss s detaljima

ArrayList<HashMap> mylist1 = new ArrayList<HashMap>();

String xmldetail = ParseXMLMethods.getXML(ParseXMLMethods.getValue(e, “url”));
Document docdetail = ParseXMLMethods.XMLfromString(xmldetail);

NodeList children_detail = docdetail.getElementsByTagName(“item”);

for (int j = 0; j < children_detail.getLength(); j++) {
HashMap map1 = new HashMap();
Element ed = (Element)children.item(j);
map1.put(“title”, ParseXMLMethods.getValue(ed, “title”));
map1.put(“description”, ParseXMLMethods.getValue(ed, “description”));
// map1.put(“description”, ParseXMLMethods.getValue(ed, “description”));

mylist1.add(map1);

ListAdapter adapter1 = new SimpleAdapter(this, mylist1 , R.layout.list_layout1,

new String[] { “title”, “description”},
new int[] { R.id.title1, R.id.subtitle1});

setListAdapter(adapter1);

final ListView lv1 = getListView();
lv1.setOnItemClickListener(new OnItemClickListener() {
public void onItemClick(AdapterView parent, View view, int position, long id) {

//Intent addReport = new Intent(ParseXMLDemoActivity.this, ParseXMLDemoActivity.class);

//startActivity(addReport);
@SuppressWarnings(“unchecked”)
HashMap v = (HashMap) lv1.getItemAtPosition(position);
Toast.makeText(ParseXMLDemoActivity.this,v.get(“shortDesc”), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();

}
});
}

mylist1.add(map);

}

ListAdapter adapter = new SimpleAdapter(this, mylist , R.layout.list_layout,
new String[] { “img”, “title”},
new int[] { R.id.title, R.id.subtitle});

setListAdapter(adapter);

final ListView lv = getListView();
lv.setOnItemClickListener(new OnItemClickListener() {
public void onItemClick(AdapterView parent, View view, int position, long id) {

Intent addReport = new Intent(ParseXMLDemoActivity.this, ParseXMLDemoActivity.class);

startActivity(addReport);
/*
@SuppressWarnings(“unchecked”)
HashMap o = (HashMap) lv.getItemAtPosition(position);
Toast.makeText(ParseXMLDemoActivity.this,o.get(“description”), Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
*/

Reply ↓
Pavel October 27, 2012

Hi, works great, until I’m trying to parse HTML text inside XML tags…

My XML file has <![CDATA[TextMore text
]]>

inside of it, alongside with simple Text tags.

I couldn’t make the code to parse anything in between description tags.

Would you kindly help?

Reply ↓
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Kai-Hong Chen August 26, 2014

This is part of my program
and the end is always show me the message like “Internet Connection Error”
is there any wrong point about connect to internet ? or other problem?

try {
DefaultHttpClient httpClient = new DefaultHttpClient();
HttpPost httpPost = new HttpPost(“https://www.facebook.com/download/321063978060447/data.xml”);

HttpResponse httpResponse = httpClient.execute(httpPost);
HttpEntity httpEntity = httpResponse.getEntity();

getdata = EntityUtils.toString(httpEntity,”UTF-8″);
dom.ReadOnlineXML(getdata);

} catch (Exception e) {
getdata = “Internet Connection Error >> ” + e.getMessage();
}

Reply ↓
1. James Post authorSeptember 2, 2014
  
  please check e.getMessage(); output. “Internet Connection Error >>” is the one you have writtem. there may be some other exception.
  Also check whether correct XML is coming from the URL you have provided.
  
  Reply ↓
foe September 17, 2014

Hello James,
your class works very well with android:minSdkVersion=”8″ but not to android:minSdkVersion=”10″
do you have an idea

Reply ↓
1. James Post authorOctober 9, 2014
  
  What is the error you are getting?
  
  Reply ↓

29 thoughts on “Parsing an XML from Online in Android”

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