XML.ReadContainer
-----------------

Reads container content as XML.

| Component | Version | macOS | Windows | Linux | Server | iOS SDK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [XML](component_XML.md) | [7.4](newinversion74.md) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |

MBS( "XML.ReadContainer"; Container { ; Flags } ) 

**MBS**( **"XML.ReadContainer";** /\* Reads container content as XML. \*/  
**$Container**; /\* The container value to read as XML file. \*/   
**$Flags**) /\* Optional; Various Flags.  
Add 1 to ignore errors in xml and continue parsing. This may lead to not everything in the xml being read.  
Add 8 to remove all namespaces before query to have queries easier.e.g. 0 \*/ 

### Parameters

| Parameter | Description | Example | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Container | The container value to read as XML file. |  |  |
| Flags | Various Flags.   Add 1 to ignore errors in xml and continue parsing. This may lead to not everything in the xml being read.   Add 8 to remove all namespaces before query to have queries easier. | 0 | Optional |

### Result

Returns XML reference or error.

### Description

Reads container content as XML.  
The document stays in memory and can be queried several times as needed.  
If you need to query a lot of values, please parse once first. Else all [XML](component_XML.md) functions need to parse again on each call.  
Please use [XML.Release](XMLRelease.md) later to free document from memory.  
  
By passing XML directly from file content to XML engine, we avoid any corruption due to wrong encoding or line endings.  
Text encoding is defined in the XML itself in the header. Default is UTF-8.  
### Examples

Read XML from container:

 MBS ( "XML.ReadContainer"; Test::XMLContainer )  
### See also

- [XML.Release](XMLRelease.md)

### Release notes

- **Version 9.3**
    - Fixed memory leak in [XML.ReadContainer](http://www.mbsplugins.eu/XMLReadContainer.shtml) function.
- **Version 7.4**
    - Added [XML.ReadContainer](http://www.mbsplugins.eu/XMLReadContainer.shtml) and [XML.ReadFile](http://www.mbsplugins.eu/XMLReadFile.shtml) functions.

### Blog Entries

- [MBS FileMaker Plugin, version 7.4pr7](https://www.mbsplugins.de/archive/2017-09-21/MBS_FileMaker_Plugin_version_7/monkeybreadsoftware_blog_filemaker)

### FileMaker Magazin

- [Ausgabe 3/2025, Seite 20](https://filemaker-magazin.de/neuigkeit/4290-Appetithappen-FMM_202503)

This function checks for a license.

Created 17th September 2017 , last changed 7th November 2023

  
[XML.Query](XMLQuery.md) - [XML.ReadFile](XMLReadFile.md)

[HTML Version](XMLReadContainer.shtml)