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The xpath command does not work with XML prolog header lines (e.g. <?xml version="1.0"?>)

yeahnah
Motivator
‎02-12-2025 03:23 PM

The xpath command does not work if the XML event contains valid prolog header lines (https://www.w3schools.com/xml/xml_syntax.asp).

For example, this works

 

| makeresults
| eval _raw="<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='ABC'/>
  </System>
</Event>"
| xpath field=_raw outfield=raw_provider_name_attr "//Provider/@Name"
| table _raw raw_provider_name_attr

 

 but, add a prolog header and it will no longer work ...

 

| makeresults
| eval _raw="<?xml version=\"1.0\?>
<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='ABC'/>
  </System>
</Event>"
| xpath field=_raw outfield=raw_provider_name_attr "//Provider/@Name"
| table _raw raw_provider_name_attr

 

I've raised a support case with Splunk about this.

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Solution

yeahnah
Motivator
‎02-12-2025 03:27 PM

To workaround this issue, remove the valid XML prolog headers from the event before calling the xpath command, or use the spath command instead.  Here is a run anywhere example.

| makeresults
| eval _raw="<?xml version\"1.0\"?>
<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='ABC'/>
  </System>
</Event>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN\" \"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd\">
<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='EFG'/>
  </System>
</Event>
<?xml version\"1.0\"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN\" \"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd\">
<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='HIJ'/>
  </System>
</Event>"
| eval xml=replace(_raw, "<(\?xml|!DOCTYPE).+?>[\r\n]*", "")
| xpath field=_raw outfield=raw_provider_name_attr "//Provider/@Name"
| xpath field=xml outfield=xml_provider_name_attr "//Provider/@Name"
| spath output=spath_provider_name_attr Event.System{2}.Provider{@Name}
| table _raw raw_provider_name_attr xml* spath*

 

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Solved! Jump to solution
Solution

yeahnah
Motivator
‎02-12-2025 03:27 PM

To workaround this issue, remove the valid XML prolog headers from the event before calling the xpath command, or use the spath command instead.  Here is a run anywhere example.

| makeresults
| eval _raw="<?xml version\"1.0\"?>
<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='ABC'/>
  </System>
</Event>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN\" \"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd\">
<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='EFG'/>
  </System>
</Event>
<?xml version\"1.0\"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN\" \"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd\">
<Event>
  <System>
    <Provider Name='HIJ'/>
  </System>
</Event>"
| eval xml=replace(_raw, "<(\?xml|!DOCTYPE).+?>[\r\n]*", "")
| xpath field=_raw outfield=raw_provider_name_attr "//Provider/@Name"
| xpath field=xml outfield=xml_provider_name_attr "//Provider/@Name"
| spath output=spath_provider_name_attr Event.System{2}.Provider{@Name}
| table _raw raw_provider_name_attr xml* spath*

 

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