OK should have read that article a bit further ie namespaces specifically
xmlns:RDF and xmlns:role

 var xmldoc = Server.CreateObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.3.0");
 xmldoc.async=false;
 xmldoc.load(file);
 xmldoc.setProperty( "SelectionLanguage", "XPath")
xmldoc.setProperty( "SelectionNamespaces",
"xmlns:RDF='http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#'
xmlns:role='http://www.rolemodels.net/rdf#' " )

var nodes =
xmldoc.selectNodes("//ancestor-or-self::RDF:Description[@role:area='US']");

Although the description selection works, Im still not generating the
ancestor nodes correctly
which is probably due to incorrect expression format

These are some of what Ive tried so far, the second being close to the
required output

var nodes =
xmldoc.selectNodes("//RDF:Description[@role:area='US']/ancestor-or-self::");
var nodes =
xmldoc.selectNodes("//RDF:Description[@role:area='US']/ancestor-or-self::*")
;
var nodes =
xmldoc.selectNodes("//ancestor-or-self::RDF:Description[@role:area='US']");


Any suggestions?




"rvj" <md@r...> wrote in message
news:#t6QZXGeEHA.3616@T......
> Thanks  I think you've put me on the right track.
>
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/0900/xml/
>
> According the technical documenation axes are supported from MSXML3
>
> var xmldoc = Server.CreateObject("MSXML2.DOMDocument.3.0");
>  xmldoc.async=false;
>  xmldoc.load(file);
>  xmldoc.setProperty( "SelectionLanguage", "XPath")
>
> ***************************
>
> The problem now is that setProperty  now generates the following error
>
> Reference to undeclared namespace prefix: 'RDF'.
>
> Any ideas what this is now complaining about?
>
> ......is it the top most node (as shown below)   or the XML directive?
>
> .... or can anyone point me at a simple example XPath  ancestor example
>
> which EXCLUDES any use of XSD or XSLT ?
>
>
>
>
>
>
> "Chris Barber" <chris@b...> wrote in message
> news:Oao#hRAeEHA.2376@t......
> > Have you set:
> >
> > pobjXMLDOC.setAttribute "SelectionLanguage", "XPath"
> >
> > on the document before trying the selectNodes()?
> >
> > I believe that MSXML4 defaults to the XPattern syntax making the XPath
> your are using invalid
> > (doesn't support axes).
> >
> > Chris.
> >
> > "rvj" <md@r...> wrote in message
> news:Orwjo9$dEHA.4048@T......
> > Corrected Version :
> >
> > I want to select nodes from an XML file (RDF) but I dont understand the
> > syntax
> > for including the containing elements into the node set
> >
> > For example, if I use
> >
> >        var nodes =
> xmldoc.selectNodes("//RDF:Description[@role:area='US']");
> >
> >  I get valid results for the US apart from the fact I havent generated
any
> > containing elements especially the root node so I assume I need
something
> > like
> >
> >       var nodes =
> >
>
xmldoc.selectNodes("//RDF:Description[@role:area='US']/ancestor-or-self::*")
> > ;
> >
> > or
> >
> >        var nodes =
> >
>
xmldoc.selectNodes("//ancestor-or-self::RDF:Description[@role:area='US']");
> >
> > and then simply dump the xml using
> >
> >     for (i=0;i<nodes.length;i++ )
> >      {
> >          Response.write(nodes.nextNode().xml)
> >      }
> >
> > but all my attempts generate token errors in my asp page
> >
> > Expected token 'eof' found ':'.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > ********
> > input file
> > ********
> > <?xml version="1.0"?>
> >
> > <RDF:RDF xmlns:RDF="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
> >          xmlns:role="http://www.rolemodels.net/rdf#">
> >   <RDF:Seq about="search:providers">
> >     <RDF:li>
> >        <RDF:Description  role:area="US" role:body="Excute" />
> >        <RDF:Description  role:area="US"  role:body="Yahoo Corp"  />
> >        <RDF:Description  role:area="UK"  role:body="Yahoo Limited"    />
> >     </RDF:li>
> >   </RDF:Seq>
> > </RDF:RDF>
> >
> > ************
> > required output
> > *************
> >
> > <RDF:RDF xmlns:RDF="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
> >          xmlns:role="http://www.rolemodels.net/rdf#">
> >   <RDF:Seq about="search:providers">
> >     <RDF:li>
> >        <RDF:Description  role:area="US" role:body="Excute" />
> >        <RDF:Description  role:area="US"  role:body="Yahoo Corp"  />
> >      </RDF:li>
> >   </RDF:Seq>
> > </RDF:RDF>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ---
> > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
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> >
> >
>
>