What is wrong with my simple query?

I'm new to Linq to Xml. I have a very simple xml file like this:

<Items>
    <Item>
       <Stuff>Strings</Stuff>
    </Item>
    <Item>
       <Stuff>Strings</Stuff>
    </Item>
</Items>

And I'm trying to query it like this:

XDocument doc = XDocument.Load(myStream)
from node in doc.Descendants(XName.Get("Item"))
    select new { Stuff = node.Element(XName.Get("Stuff")).Value }

But doc.Descendents(XName.Get("Item")) returns null. Something is wrong with my understanding here.

From stackoverflow

• Try using doc.Root.Decendants("Item")

• There's an implicit conversion from System.String to XName, so the more usual form is

  ...doc.Descendants("Item")
  

  and

  ...node.Element("Stuff").Value
  

  Besides that, I suggest doc.Root.Descendants() as in the previous answer. The document is still at the "top" of the hierarchy when it's loaded. I was under the impression that Descendants() was recursive, but who knows, right?

  BC : Thanks for the tip, thats much easier to read and write.

• Your code actually works:

  static void Main(string[] args)
  {
      string xml = @"
                  <Items>
                      <Item>
                          <Stuff>Strings</Stuff>
                      </Item>
                      <Item>
                          <Stuff>Strings</Stuff>
                      </Item>
                  </Items>";
  
      using (StringReader myStream = new StringReader(xml))
      {
          XDocument doc = XDocument.Load(myStream);
  
          var query = from node in doc.Descendants(XName.Get("Item"))
                      select new { Stuff = 
                          node.Element(XName.Get("Stuff")).Value };
  
          foreach (var item in query)
          {
              Console.WriteLine("Stuff: {0}", item.Stuff);
          }
      }
  

  It should be noted that if the elements are not qualified with namespaces, then you don't really need XName:

  static void Main(string[] args)
  {
      string xml = @"
                  <Items>
                      <Item>
                          <Stuff>Strings</Stuff>
                      </Item>
                      <Item>
                          <Stuff>Strings</Stuff>
                      </Item>
                  </Items>";
  
      using (StringReader myStream = new StringReader(xml))
      {
          XDocument doc = XDocument.Load(myStream);
  
          var query = from node in doc.Descendants("Item")
                      select new { Stuff = node.Element("Stuff").Value };
  
          foreach (var item in query)
          {
              Console.WriteLine("Stuff: {0}", item.Stuff);
          }
      }
  }
  

  BC : You're right. It does work. But when I break with the debugger and start examining the object model with the command window, it does not work. I never actually tried executing it without stepping through. Do you have any insight into this?

  BC : I broke on the line containing the linq query and executed "? doc.Descendants("Item")" in the command window.

  casperOne : @BC: If you put it in the watch window, you get null? Or it says that it throws an exception?

  BC : If I put doc.Descendants("Item") in the watch, the value before and after the query is "This expression causes side effects and will not be evaluated."

  BC : Maybe it can it only be evaluated once?

  casperOne : @BC: No, you should be able to evaluate it multiple times. You need to post a complete code example, and detail where you set the break, as well as what you are trying to observe.

  BC : I can force the evaluation multiple times in the watch using the little recycle icon. Thanks for your help.