appendChild is not a function

[cevdamme]

Hi,

A few hours ago I came across this weird problem where I cant use appendChild, setChildren, createSegment etc.
Whenever I try to use the code below, I get TypeError: appendChild is not a function, it is xml.

tmp['Request']['Events']['Event']['Documents'].appendChild(new XML('<Document></Document>'));
var document = tmp['Request']['Events']['Event']['Documents']['Document']

I've seen people use createSegment to create a new XML segment, but that gives me undefined as return value.

[upstart33]

Here is a very simple example of using appendChild to add a node which should help you figure out how to use it for what you are doing.

x = new XML('<MSG><Node1/></MSG>');
x.appendChild(new XML('<Node2/>'));

[cevdamme]

I have tried that code and it works fine. However I'm still not sure why my code fails.
All i'm trying to do is add a child to a node in the outbound template.

[pacmano]

Post your outbound template, I am guessing it is off. Your code would work with this in your outbound template (which is of type XML in this case)

<request>
<events>
<event>
<documents></documents>
</event>
</events>
</request>

[agermano]

To elaborate on what pacmano said, you can't call appendChild on a node that doesn't exist.
Here's another approach that might work better depending on how you're building the rest of your message.

var documents = <Documents/>;
documents.appendChild(<Document/>);
tmp.Request.Events.Event.Documents = documents;

[cevdamme]

I managed to solve the problem using createSegment. I'm still not sure why it didn't work with appendChild though

[jkrebs]

Maybe try this...

tmp['Events']['Event']['Documents'].appendChild(new XML('<Document/>'))
tmp.Events.Event.Documents.Document = 'Document Here'
var document = tmp.Events.Event.Documents.Document
logger.info(document)

[agermano]

... I'm still not sure why it didn't work with appendChild though

You'll have to share what the value of tmp was before calling appendChild. As I said, you can't call it on a node that does not already exist. If you try to, it will throw the error you are seeing. pacmano gave a sample of a bare minimum template that includes the element to which you are trying to append a child. I gave an alternative method that will work even if the node doesn't already exist.