Check if XML Element exists

Question

How can someone validate that a specific element exists in an XML file? Say I have an ever changing XML file and I need to verify every element exists before reading/parsing

Answer 1

Just came across the same problem and the null-coalescing operator with SelectSingleNode worked a treat, assigning null with string.Empty

 foreach (XmlNode txElement in txElements)
 {
     var txStatus = txElement.SelectSingleNode(".//ns:TxSts", nsmgr).InnerText ?? string.Empty;
     var endToEndId = txElement.SelectSingleNode(".//ns:OrgnlEndToEndId", nsmgr).InnerText ?? string.Empty;
     var paymentAmount = txElement.SelectSingleNode(".//ns:InstdAmt", nsmgr).InnerText ?? string.Empty;
     var paymentAmountCcy = txElement.SelectSingleNode(".//ns:InstdAmt", nsmgr).Attributes["Ccy"].Value ?? string.Empty;
     var clientId = txElement.SelectSingleNode(".//ns:OrgnlEndToEndId", nsmgr).InnerText ?? string.Empty;
     var bankSortCode = txElement.SelectSingleNode(".//ns:OrgnlEndToEndId", nsmgr).InnerText ?? string.Empty; 

     //TODO finish Object creation and Upsert DB
  }