Question

I want to create a function in my custom toolbox-module that uses a custom xml file to provide instructions (passed on using a $xmlpath parameter). How can I validate that the provided xml is using the correct xml type/syntax/format(correct elements, root-node etc.)?

If I use a schema-file: How do I validate xml against it using ex. Test-XML (PSCX cmdlet)? Do I store the xsd file online and specify it’s path in the xml-document? Do I store it in my modules-folder and hard-code it into the script? If so, how do I specify schema-path? Codesample:

#Stored in ..\Modules\MyModule\Process-Config.psm1)
function Process-Config
{
    param($xmlpath)
    #Test that file is xml
    try{ $xml = [xml](Get-Content $xmlpath) } catch {}

    #Test that xml-file is valid against schema in Module-folder (Modules\MyModule\xmlschema.xsd)
    #Using Test-XML PSCX cmdlet
    Test-XML -Path $xmlpath -SchemaPath #Schemapath#

}

EDIT: I found out that $PSScriptRoot gives module-location so I can use $PSScriptRoot\Schemas\MySchema.xsd as path. I thought it just worked on scripts, but seems functions work too. Do I specify schema in xml for a local file like this or publish the xsd online with schema-address in the xml file?

Answer 1

Specify the file path to XSD file, preferably via a relative path unless the XSD is stored in a well known path on each PC you plan to run the script. For relative path, yeah use $PSScriptRoot e.g.

$xsd = $PSScriptRoot\schema.xsd
Test-Xml -XmlPath $xmlPath -SchemaPath $xsd