Remove attributes using HtmlAgilityPack

Question

I'm trying to create a code snippet to remove all style attributes regardless of tag using HtmlAgilityPack.

Here's my code:

var elements = htmlDoc.DocumentNode.SelectNodes("//*");

if (elements!=null)
{
    foreach (var element in elements)
    {
        element.Attributes.Remove("style");
    }
}

However, I'm not getting it to stick? If I look at the element object immediately after Remove("style"). I can see that the style attribute has been removed, but it still appears in the DocumentNode object. :/

I'm feeling a bit stupid, but it seems off to me? Anyone done this using HtmlAgilityPack? Thanks!

Update

I changed my code to the following, and it works properly:

public static void RemoveStyleAttributes(this HtmlDocument html)
{
   var elementsWithStyleAttribute = html.DocumentNode.SelectNodes("//@style");

   if (elementsWithStyleAttribute!=null)
   {
      foreach (var element in elementsWithStyleAttribute)
      {
         element.Attributes["style"].Remove();
      }
   }
}

Can you add a reproduction code? because I have tested this html `` and it works — Simon Mourier, May 02 '11 at 06:47
Do you use InnerHtml property? At the time of writing this it has a bug, use WriteContentTo method instead. — greenoldman, Jul 16 '11 at 09:10

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered May 06 '11 at 13:49

10

Your code snippet seems to be correct - it removes the attributes. The thing is, DocumentNode .InnerHtml(I assume you monitored this property) is a complex property, maybe it get updated after some unknown circumstances and you actually shouldn't use this property to get the document as a string. Instead of it HtmlDocument.Save method for this:

string result = null;
using (StringWriter writer = new StringWriter())
{
    htmlDoc.Save(writer);
    result = writer.ToString();
}

now result variable holds the string representation of your document.

One more thing: your code may be improved by changing your expression to "//*[@style]" which gets you only elements with style attribute.

answered May 06 '11 at 13:49

Oleks

31,955
11
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Thanks for replying! Yeah, I had changed my code to the following to make it "stick": 'public static void RemoveStyleAttributes(this HtmlDocument html) { var elementsWithStyleAttribute = html.DocumentNode.SelectNodes("//@style"); if (elementsWithStyleAttribute!=null) { foreach (var element in elementsWithStyleAttribute) { element.Attributes["style"].Remove(); } } }' Not sure why my original code didn't work, but I think you're right in your guess. Thanks! – Ted Nyberg May 08 '11 at 17:03
Wow, code formatting in comments isn't great. :) Updated my question with the modified code snippet. Thanks again! – Ted Nyberg May 08 '11 at 17:08

Otto Kanellis · Answer 2 · 2014-11-05T04:08:11.860

9

Here is a very simple solution

VB.net

element.Attributes.Remove(element.Attributes("style"))

c#

element.Attributes.Remove(element.Attributes["style"])

edited Nov 05 '14 at 04:08

answered Aug 05 '14 at 07:16

Otto Kanellis

3,629
1
23
24

2

Thanks, one correction: element.Attributes("style") should be element.Attributes["style"] – Patrick Koorevaar Nov 03 '14 at 07:46
1

You are right cause i don't make it clear : my code is for vb.net – Otto Kanellis Nov 05 '14 at 04:06

Remove attributes using HtmlAgilityPack

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