VB Add an attribute to xml

Question

I have some working code that can add an elememnt to an xml file:

    Sub add_element_single(xmlfile, element_name, to_add, parentelement)

        'Add a single element to a parent.  

        Dim xmlDoc As New XmlDocument
        xmlDoc.Load(xmlfile)

        Dim xmlRoot As XmlElement = xmlDoc.SelectSingleNode(parentelement)
        Dim xmlChild As XmlElement = xmlDoc.CreateElement(element_name)

        xmlChild.InnerText = to_add
        xmlRoot.AppendChild(xmlChild)

        Try
            xmlDoc.Save(xmlfile)
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox("Exception: " & ex.Message, MsgBoxStyle.Critical)
        End Try
    End Sub

That works great but Id like to use it to add a new element with attribute (if thats the correct terminology). For example, add a new house to this:

<houses>
<this ID="house1">
<windows>set1</windows>
<windows>set4</windows>
</this >
<this ID="house2">
<windows>set14</windows>
<windows>set15</windows>
</this >
</houses>

to create something like this:

<houses>
<this ID="house1">
<windows>set1</windows>
<windows>set4</windows>
</this >
<this ID="house2">
<windows>set14</windows>
<windows>set15</windows>
</this >
<this ID="house3">
<windows>set7</windows>
<windows>set22</windows>
</this >

</houses>

Answer 1

Adding an attribute to an existing element (which it will be once you create it) is simply a matter of using the SetAttributes method.

   Dim xmlChild As XmlElement = xmlDoc.CreateElement(element_name)  
   xmlChild.SetAttribute("id", id.ToString())  

Have the ID passed as a parameter to your method.

   Sub add_element_single(xmlfile, element_name, to_add, id, parentelement)  

Answer 2

Using XElement instead of XMLDocument,

        Dim myXML As XElement
        ' myXML = XElement.Load("path here")
        ' for testing use literal
        myXML = <houses>
                </houses>

        Dim id As Integer = 1
        Dim wset As New List(Of String) From {"setA", "setB", "setZ"}
        For id = 1 To 3
            myXML.Add(<this ID=<%= "house" & id.ToString %>>
                          <%= From foo In wset
                              Select <windows><%= foo %></windows>
                          %>
                      </this>)
        Next

        ' myXML.Save("path here")