LINQ for Visual C# 2008

3.2. Querying XML

Since LINQ to XML supports the LINQ standard query operators, an XML document can be loaded in memory and then queried with the usual LINQ query syntax.

Let's start by analyzing a simple query using a couple of important LINQ to XML classes. Listing 3-1 is the XML representation of our People database.

Example 3-1. The XML Representation of the People Database

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <people> <!--Person section--> <person> <id>1</id> <firstname>Carl</firstname> <lastname>Lewis</lastname> <idrole>1</idrole> </person> <person> <id>2</id> <firstname>Tom</firstname> <lastname>Gray</lastname> <idrole>2</idrole> </person> <person> <id>3</id> <firstname>Mary</firstname> <lastname>Grant</lastname> <idrole>2</idrole> ...