How to return an XML file from a function with a node?

Question

I have a simple XML

    10
    john
    
        pc24         


        

Answer 1

You can use a slightly smarter XPath to select your nodes, and then the InnerXml property to get the output string you're after:

PS> $xml = [xml] @"
<bds>
  <bd>
    <id>10</id>
    <user>john</user>
    <servers>
      <name>pc24</name>
    </servers>
  </bd>
  <bd>
    <id>12</id>
    <user>peter</user>
    <servers>
      <name>pc25</name>
    </servers>
  </bd>
</bds>
"@

PS> $xml.SelectNodes("bds/bd[servers/name = 'pc25']").InnerXml
<id>12</id><user>peter</user><servers><name>pc25</name></servers>

Note - bds/bd[servers/name = 'pc25'] means "find all the bds/bd nodes that have a child servers/name node with a value pc25".

You can then retro-fit this back into your function using your variable values in the XPath string as appropriate...