Filling a combobox

[natepizzle]

Hello. I am trying to fill a combobox with data from an xml file. I have it setup on form load to call a loadXMLdata function. In the loadXMLdata function it reads the xml file. I would like to know how I would return each of the elements to populate the combobox. I have mostly done php work and in php i could do an array like this: array[book] = "VB.Net Programming". Is there a way to do something like this with an array such as xmlData("Server 1") = "255.255.255.255"

<config>
  <connection>
    <servers>
      <server label="Server 1" data="255.255.255.255" />
      <server label="Server 2" data="255.255.255.255" />
      <server label="Server 3" data="255.255.255.255" />
      <server label="Server 4" data="255.255.255.255" />
      <server label="Server 5" data="255.255.255.255" />
      <server label="Server 6" data="255.255.255.255" />
    </servers>
  </connection>
</config>

'Login Form

Imports LoginTo.Functions
Public Class frmLogin

    Private Sub frmLogin_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        'Load servers from xml file
        'Maybe loop thru array and add items to comboBox
        'cmbxServer.Items.Add(loadServers("C:\servers.xml"))
    End Sub
End Class

'LoginTo.Functions

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Xml
Class Functions
    Shared Function loadServers(ByVal serversXML As String) As Array
        Try
            Dim Doc As New FileStream(serversXML, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read)
            Dim xmlDoc As XmlReader = XmlReader.Create(Doc)
            Dim xmlData() As String
            Dim counter As Integer

            While xmlDoc.Read()
                If xmlDoc.IsStartElement Then
                    If xmlDoc.IsEmptyElement Then
                        'Populate the combobox perhaps by returning xmlData array
                        'xmlData(counter)
                    End If
                End If
            End While

            'Return xmlData array somehow
            Return Nothing

        Catch ex As Exception
            MessageBox.Show("Error reading server file", ErrorToString, MessageBoxButtons.OK)
        End Try

    End Function
End Class

I know there are some things missing in my code like setting the counter integer. If you know an easier/faster/more efficient way of doing what I'm trying to do feel free to give advice. Thanks

PS I am new to vb.net programming and am learning as I go.

[kleinma]

You actually don't need to do all that code just to read an XML file in VB. VB has xml literals and has awesome support for XML unlike any other language I have used.

Here is an example assuming that your xml file is called data.xml and is in the same directory as the exe.

        'LOAD XML DOCUMENT
        Dim myDocument As XDocument = XDocument.Load(Application.StartupPath & "\data.xml")

        'LOOP EACH <SERVER> NODE FOUND UNDER THE <SERVERS> NODE
        'AND ADD THE LABEL AND DATA ATTRIBUTE TO THE LISTBOX
        For Each ServerNode As XElement In myDocument.Root...<servers>.Nodes
            ListBox1.Items.Add(ServerNode.Attribute("label").Value & " - " & ServerNode.Attribute("data").Value)
        Next