Attributes

Woking with Attributes

All CAEXElements which can have Attributes assigned implement the Interface IObjectWithAttributes.

The programming examples show how to access attribute values and ensure the correct encoding and decoding of attribute values according to the defined attribute datatype.

1. Attribute Values and Attribute DataTypes

using Aml.Engine.CAEX;
void AttributeValuesAndDataTypes(CAEXDocument document)
{
    // adds a raw attribute - without value and datatype - to an element
    var instanceHierarchy = document.CAEXFile.InstanceHierarchy.Append("ih1");
    var element1 = instanceHierarchy.InternalElement.Append("element1");
    var attribute1 = element1.Attribute.Append("attribute1");

    // Attributes provide 'Value'- and 'AttributeDataType'- properties
    // The value property is of type 'string' which means that the user
    // has to define the correct xml format for the desired data type himself.

    // storing a date time value, using 'Value' and 'AttributeDataType'.
    // The standard .NET class XmlConvert provides Xml decoding and encoding methods.
    // The ClrToXmlType method converts the ClrType to a XSD datatype.
    
    attribute1.Value = System.Xml.XmlConvert.ToString(DateTime.Now, System.Xml.XmlDateTimeSerializationMode.Local);
    attribute1.AttributeDataType = AttributeTypeType.ClrToXmlType(typeof(DateTime));

    // Attributes provide 'AttributeValue'- property (also 'DefaultAttributeValue')
    // This property selects the correct xml encoding and decoding, depending of the value type.
    
    attribute1.AttributeValue = DateTime.Now;
    attribute1.DefaultAttributeValue = DateTime.MinValue;
}