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Improve README formatting with highlighted blocks
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mikomikotaishi Nov 23, 2025
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@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
TinyXML-2
=========
# TinyXML-2

[![Test](https://github.com/leethomason/tinyxml2/actions/workflows/test.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/leethomason/tinyxml2/actions/workflows/test.yml)

Expand All @@ -14,8 +13,7 @@ http://leethomason.github.io/tinyxml2/

Examples are in the "related pages" tab of the HTML docs.

What it does.
-------------
## What it does.

In brief, TinyXML-2 parses an XML document, and builds from that a
Document Object Model (DOM) that can be read, modified, and saved.
Expand All @@ -37,27 +35,26 @@ code without creating a document first.

TinyXML-2 is designed to be easy and fast to learn. It is one header and
one cpp file. Simply add these to your project and off you go.
There is an example file - xmltest.cpp - to get you started.
There is an example file - `xmltest.cpp` - to get you started.

TinyXML-2 is released under the ZLib license,
so you can use it in open source or commercial code. The details
of the license are at the top of every source file.

TinyXML-2 attempts to be a flexible parser, but with truly correct and
compliant XML output. TinyXML-2 should compile on any reasonably C++
compliant system. It does not rely on exceptions, RTTI, or the STL.
compliant system. It does not rely on exceptions, run-time type information,
or the C++ Standard Library.

What it doesn't do.
-------------------
## What it doesn't do.

TinyXML-2 doesn't parse or use DTDs (Document Type Definitions) or XSLs
(eXtensible Stylesheet Language.) There are other parsers out there
that are much more fully featured. But they are generally bigger and
more difficult to use. If you are working with
browsers or have more complete XML needs, TinyXML-2 is not the parser for you.

TinyXML-1 vs. TinyXML-2
-----------------------
## TinyXML-1 vs. TinyXML-2

TinyXML-2 has long been the focus of all development. It is well tested
and should be used instead of TinyXML-1.
Expand All @@ -67,10 +64,10 @@ rich test cases. But the implementation of the parser is completely re-written
to make it more appropriate for use in a game. It uses less memory, is faster,
and uses far fewer memory allocations.

TinyXML-2 has no requirement or support for STL.
TinyXML-2 has no dependency on the C++ Standard Library, and does not adapt any
of its collection types either.

Features
--------
## Features

### Code Page

Expand All @@ -81,17 +78,17 @@ Filenames for loading / saving are passed unchanged to the underlying OS.

### Memory Model

An XMLDocument is a C++ object like any other, that can be on the stack, or
new'd and deleted on the heap.
An `XMLDocument` is a C++ object like any other, that can be on the stack, or
`new`'d and `delete`d on the heap.

However, any sub-node of the Document, XMLElement, XMLText, etc, can only
be created by calling the appropriate XMLDocument::NewElement, NewText, etc.
However, any sub-node of the `XMLDocument`, `XMLElement`, `XMLText`, etc, can only
be created by calling the appropriate `XMLDocument::NewElement`, `XMLDocument::NewText`, etc.
method. Although you have pointers to these objects, they are still owned
by the Document. When the Document is deleted, so are all the nodes it contains.
by the `XMLDocument`. When the `XMLDocument` is `delete`d, so are all the nodes it contains.

### White Space

#### Whitespace Preservation (default, PRESERVE_WHITESPACE)
#### Whitespace Preservation (default, `PRESERVE_WHITESPACE`)

Microsoft has an excellent article on white space: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms256097.aspx

Expand All @@ -103,51 +100,57 @@ line-feed character, as required by the XML spec.

White space in text is preserved. For example:

<element> Hello, World</element>
```xml
<element> Hello, World</element>
```

The leading space before the "Hello" and the double space after the comma are
The leading space before the `"Hello"` and the double space after the comma are
preserved. Line-feeds are preserved, as in this example:

<element> Hello again,
World</element>
```xml
<element> Hello again,
World</element>
```

However, white space between elements is **not** preserved. Although not strictly
compliant, tracking and reporting inter-element space is awkward, and not normally
valuable. TinyXML-2 sees these as the same XML:

<document>
<data>1</data>
<data>2</data>
<data>3</data>
</document>
```xml
<document>
<data>1</data>
<data>2</data>
<data>3</data>
</document>

<document><data>1</data><data>2</data><data>3</data></document>
<document><data>1</data><data>2</data><data>3</data></document>
```

#### Whitespace Collapse (COLLAPSE_WHITESPACE)
#### Whitespace Collapse (`COLLAPSE_WHITESPACE`)

For some applications, it is preferable to collapse whitespace. Collapsing
whitespace gives you "HTML-like" behavior, which is sometimes more suitable
for hand typed documents.

TinyXML-2 supports this with the 'whitespace' parameter to the XMLDocument constructor.
TinyXML-2 supports this with the `whitespace` parameter to the `XMLDocument` constructor.
(The default is to preserve whitespace, as described above.)

However, you may also use COLLAPSE_WHITESPACE, which will:
However, you may also use `COLLAPSE_WHITESPACE`, which will:

* Remove leading and trailing whitespace
* Convert newlines and line-feeds into a space character
* Collapse a run of any number of space characters into a single space character

Note that (currently) there is a performance impact for using COLLAPSE_WHITESPACE.
Note that (currently) there is a performance impact for using `COLLAPSE_WHITESPACE`.
It essentially causes the XML to be parsed twice.

#### Pedantic Whitespace (PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE)
#### Pedantic Whitespace (`PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE`)

For applications that need to know about text nodes that are composed entirely of
whitespace, PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE is available. PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE maintains all the
whitespace, `PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE` is available. `PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE` maintains all the
whitespace between elements.

PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE is a new mode and not as tested as the other whitespace modes.
`PEDANTIC_WHITESPACE` is a new mode and not as tested as the other whitespace modes.

### Error Reporting

Expand All @@ -163,18 +166,22 @@ line number information for error messages.
TinyXML-2 recognizes the pre-defined "character entities", meaning special
characters. Namely:

&amp; &
&lt; <
&gt; >
&quot; "
&apos; '
```html
&amp; &
&lt; <
&gt; >
&quot; "
&apos; '
```

These are recognized when the XML document is read, and translated to their
UTF-8 equivalents. For instance, text with the XML of:

Far &amp; Away
```xml
Far &amp; Away
```

will have the Value() of "Far & Away" when queried from the XMLText object,
will have the `Value()` of `"Far & Away"` when queried from the `XMLText` object,
and will be written back to the XML stream/file as an ampersand.

Additionally, any character can be specified by its Unicode code point:
Expand All @@ -188,114 +195,123 @@ regular code point. The output is correct, but the entity syntax isn't preserved
#### Print to file
You can directly use the convenience function:

XMLDocument doc;
...
doc.SaveFile( "foo.xml" );
```cpp
XMLDocument doc;
// ...
doc.SaveFile("foo.xml");
```

Or the XMLPrinter class:
Or the `XMLPrinter` class:

XMLPrinter printer( fp );
doc.Print( &printer );
```cpp
XMLPrinter printer(fp);
doc.Print(&printer);
```

#### Print to memory
Printing to memory is supported by the XMLPrinter.
Printing to memory is supported by the `XMLPrinter`.

XMLPrinter printer;
doc.Print( &printer );
// printer.CStr() has a const char* to the XML
```cpp
XMLPrinter printer;
doc.Print(&printer);
// printer.CStr() has a const char* to the XML
```

#### Print without an XMLDocument

When loading, an XML parser is very useful. However, sometimes
when saving, it just gets in the way. The code is often set up
for streaming, and constructing the DOM is just overhead.

The Printer supports the streaming case. The following code
The `XMLPrinter` supports the streaming case. The following code
prints out a trivially simple XML file without ever creating
an XML document.

XMLPrinter printer( fp );
printer.OpenElement( "foo" );
printer.PushAttribute( "foo", "bar" );
printer.CloseElement();
```cpp
XMLPrinter printer(fp);
printer.OpenElement("foo");
printer.PushAttribute("foo", "bar");
printer.CloseElement();
```

Examples
--------
### Examples

#### Load and parse an XML file.

/* ------ Example 1: Load and parse an XML file. ---- */
{
XMLDocument doc;
doc.LoadFile( "dream.xml" );
}
```cpp
/* ------ Example 1: Load and parse an XML file. ---- */
{
XMLDocument doc;
doc.LoadFile("dream.xml");
}
```

#### Lookup information.

/* ------ Example 2: Lookup information. ---- */
{
XMLDocument doc;
doc.LoadFile( "dream.xml" );
```cpp
/* ------ Example 2: Lookup information. ---- */
{
XMLDocument doc;
doc.LoadFile("dream.xml");

// Structure of the XML file:
// - Element "PLAY" the root Element, which is the
// FirstChildElement of the Document
// - - Element "TITLE" child of the root PLAY Element
// - - - Text child of the TITLE Element
// Structure of the XML file:
// - Element "PLAY" the root Element, which is the
// FirstChildElement of the Document
// - - Element "TITLE" child of the root PLAY Element
// - - - Text child of the TITLE Element

// Navigate to the title, using the convenience function,
// with a dangerous lack of error checking.
const char* title = doc.FirstChildElement( "PLAY" )->FirstChildElement( "TITLE" )->GetText();
printf( "Name of play (1): %s\n", title );
// Navigate to the title, using the convenience function,
// with a dangerous lack of error checking.
const char* title = doc.FirstChildElement("PLAY")->FirstChildElement("TITLE")->GetText();
printf("Name of play (1): %s\n", title);

// Text is just another Node to TinyXML-2. The more
// general way to get to the XMLText:
XMLText* textNode = doc.FirstChildElement( "PLAY" )->FirstChildElement( "TITLE" )->FirstChild()->ToText();
title = textNode->Value();
printf( "Name of play (2): %s\n", title );
}
// Text is just another Node to TinyXML-2. The more
// general way to get to the XMLText:
XMLText* textNode = doc.FirstChildElement("PLAY")->FirstChildElement("TITLE")->FirstChild()->ToText();
title = textNode->Value();
printf("Name of play (2): %s\n", title);
}
```

Using and Installing
--------------------
## Using and Installing

There are 2 files in TinyXML-2:
* tinyxml2.cpp
* tinyxml2.h
* `tinyxml2.cpp`
* `tinyxml2.h`

And additionally a test file:
* xmltest.cpp
* `xmltest.cpp`

Generally speaking, the intent is that you simply include the tinyxml2.cpp and
tinyxml2.h files in your project and build with your other source code.
Generally speaking, the intent is that you simply include the `tinyxml2.cpp` and
`tinyxml2.h` files in your project and build with your other source code.

There is also a CMake build included. CMake is the general build for TinyXML-2.

(Additional build systems are costly to maintain, and tend to become outdated. They are
being removed over time.)

Building TinyXML-2 - Using vcpkg
--------------------------------
### Building TinyXML-2 - Using vcpkg

You can download and install TinyXML-2 using the [vcpkg](https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg) dependency manager:

git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg.git
cd vcpkg
./bootstrap-vcpkg.sh
./vcpkg integrate install
./vcpkg install tinyxml2
```sh
git clone https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg.git
cd vcpkg
./bootstrap-vcpkg.sh
./vcpkg integrate install
./vcpkg install tinyxml2
```

The TinyXML-2 port in vcpkg is kept up to date by Microsoft team members and community contributors. If the version is out of date, please [create an issue or pull request](https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg) on the vcpkg repository.

Versioning
----------
## Versioning

TinyXML-2 uses semantic versioning. http://semver.org/ Releases are now tagged in github.

Note that the major version will (probably) change fairly rapidly. API changes are fairly
common.

License
-------
## License

TinyXML-2 is released under the zlib license:

Expand All @@ -316,8 +332,7 @@ must not be misrepresented as being the original software.
3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source
distribution.

Contributors
------------
## Contributors

Thanks very much to everyone who sends suggestions, bugs, ideas, and
encouragement. It all helps, and makes this project fun.
Expand Down