How Can I Easily Format an XML String for Better Readability in C#?

Formatting an XML String for Readability

When handling XML strings, it is often desirable to format them in a way that enhances readability. This can be done by introducing line breaks between elements and indenting child elements for clarity. Manually writing a formatting function can be tedious, so it is helpful to consider using an existing library or code snippet to automate the process.

LINQ to XML for XML Formatting

One of the most straightforward ways to format an XML string is by using LINQ to XML. This approach provides a simple and extensible way to manipulate XML documents in .NET.

The following code snippet demonstrates how to use LINQ to XML to format an XML string:

public static string FormatXml(string xml)
{
    try
    {
        XDocument doc = XDocument.Parse(xml);
        return doc.ToString();
    }
    catch (Exception)
    {
        // Handle and throw if fatal exception here; don't just ignore them
        return xml;
    }
}

Usage Example

To use the FormatXml method, simply pass an XML string as the input argument:

string formattedXml = FormatXml("<p>I have an XML string as such:</p>");

The formatted XML string will be returned as a new string, with line breaks and indentations added for clarity:

<p>I have an XML string as such:</p>

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