# Process xml in a page **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [July 18, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/process-xml-in-a-page/98777 "2006-07-18T03:30:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/siguva)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/process-xml-in-a-page/98777/1 "2006-07-18T03:30:53Z")
Hi all, I would like to process the xml in the url below, but I am unsure how. I’ve always had APIs to help me out before, so this is new. [http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00001372?displayxml=true](http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00001372?displayxml=true) I want to get this xml in an object that I can then parse and extract the portions I need. Thank you for your help, as always. ---
**Author:** ![siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/siguva)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 4:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/process-xml-in-a-page/98777/2 "2006-07-18T04:42:41Z")
Hunter W. wrote: > Thank you for your help, as always. > Use open-uri to fetch the XML, then load it into a REXML::Document > object. Then use REXML’s XPath to grab what you need. [http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/open-uri/rdoc/](http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/open-uri/rdoc/) [http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/rexml/rdoc/index.html](http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/rexml/rdoc/index.html) – James B. [http://www.ruby-doc.org](http://www.ruby-doc.org) - Ruby Help & Documentation [Ruby Code & Style](http://www.artima.com/rubycs/) - The Journal By & For Rubyists [http://www.rubystuff.com](http://www.rubystuff.com) - The Ruby Store for Ruby Stuff [http://www.jamesbritt.com](http://www.jamesbritt.com) - Playing with Better Toys [http://www.30secondrule.com](http://www.30secondrule.com) - Building Better Tools ---
**Author:** ![siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/siguva)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/process-xml-in-a-page/98777/3 "2006-07-19T00:56:40Z")
Thank you, James. I got a step further, but still need help. This code outputs exactly what I want to see to the debug window: require ‘open-uri’ require “rexml/document” include REXML url = “[http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00001372?displayxml=true](http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00001372?displayxml=true)” open(url) { |page| print page.read() } However, I am having trouble when using the REXML tutorial. Should I somehow save the output to an .xml file locally? Or should I add the output to a string? I am not sure how to do either as I am having trouble directing the “print” output anywhere. Thank you and sorry for the noobness. The api I used in a ruby project before made everything a bit too easy, so I am still learning. -Hunter James B. wrote: > Hunter W. wrote: > > > Thank you for your help, as always. > > Use open-uri to fetch the XML, then load it into a REXML::Document > > object. > > Then use REXML’s XPath to grab what you need. > > [http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/open-uri/rdoc/](http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/open-uri/rdoc/) > [http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/rexml/rdoc/index.html](http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/rexml/rdoc/index.html) > > – > James B. > > [http://www.ruby-doc.org](http://www.ruby-doc.org) - Ruby Help & Documentation > [Ruby Code & Style](http://www.artima.com/rubycs/) - The Journal By & For Rubyists > [http://www.rubystuff.com](http://www.rubystuff.com) - The Ruby Store for Ruby Stuff > [http://www.jamesbritt.com](http://www.jamesbritt.com) - Playing with Better Toys > [http://www.30secondrule.com](http://www.30secondrule.com) - Building Better Tools ---
**Author:** ![siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/siguva)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 1:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/process-xml-in-a-page/98777/4 "2006-07-19T01:06:02Z")
Hunter W. wrote: > open(url) { |page| print page.read() } require ‘open-uri’ require “rexml/document” include REXML url = “[http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00001372?displayxml=true](http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00001372?displayxml=true)” xml = open(url).read p xml doc = REXML::Document.new(xml) p doc.root.name – James B. “I never dispute another person’s delusions, just their facts.” - Len Bullard ---
**Author:** ![siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/siguva)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 1:42am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/process-xml-in-a-page/98777/5 "2006-07-19T01:42:07Z")
A guy in the comments on the page below had the same problem. Someone supplied a fix for windows (2nd link). It’as all good after that. [http://redhanded.hobix.com/inspect/noXpathOnMessyHtmlIsJustAsEasyInRuby.html](http://redhanded.hobix.com/inspect/noXpathOnMessyHtmlIsJustAsEasyInRuby.html) [http://www.dave.burt.id.au/ruby/iconv.zip](http://www.dave.burt.id.au/ruby/iconv.zip) Thanks again, James! ---
**Author:** ![siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@siguva](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/siguva)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/process-xml-in-a-page/98777/6 "2006-07-19T01:20:40Z")
I get the error below after a successful XML output to the debug window. Thanks! No such file to load – rexml/encodings/ASCII.rb No decoder found for encoding ASCII. Please install iconv. c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/encoding.rb:33:in `encoding=' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/source.rb:40:in`encoding=’ c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/parsers/baseparser.rb:202:in `pull' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/parsers/treeparser.rb:21:in`parse’ c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/document.rb:176:in `build' c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/document.rb:45:in`initialize’ C:/Documents and Settings/hwalker/Desktop/Ruby-1.rb:13:in `new’ C:/Documents and Settings/hwalker/Desktop/Ruby-1.rb:13 c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/encoding.rb:33:in `encoding=': No decoder found for encoding ASCII. Please install iconv. (Exception) from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/source.rb:40:in`encoding=’ from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/parsers/baseparser.rb:202:in `pull' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/parsers/treeparser.rb:21:in`parse’ from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/document.rb:176:in `build' from c:/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/document.rb:45:in`initialize’ from C:/Documents and Settings/hwalker/Desktop/Ruby-1.rb:13:in `new’ from C:/Documents and Settings/hwalker/Desktop/Ruby-1.rb:13