How to remove XML namespaces using Javascript?

Question

I am finding that, for my purposes, XML namespaces are simply causing much headache and are completely unnecessary. (For example, how they complicate xpath.)

Is there a simple way to remove namespaces entirely from an XML document?

(There is a related question, but it deals with removing namespace prefixes on tags, rather than namespace declarations from the document root: "Easy way to drop XML namespaces with javascript".)

Edit: Samples and more detail below:

XML:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<main xmlns="example.com">
  <primary>
    <enabled>true</enabled>
  </primary>
  <secondary>
    <enabled>false</enabled>
  </secondary>
</main>

JavaScript:

function useHttpResponse()
{
    if (http.readyState == 4)
    {
        if(http.status == 200)
        {
            var xml = http.responseXML;
            var evalue = getXMLValueByPath('/main/secondary/enabled', xml);
            alert(evalue);
        }
    }
}

function getXMLValueByPath(nodepath, xml)
{
    var result = xml.evaluate(nodepath, xml, null, XPathResult.STRING_TYPE, null).stringValue;
    return result;
}

The sample XML is just like the actual one I am working with, albeit much shorter. Notice that there are no prefixes on the tags for the namespace. I assume this is the null or default namespace.

The JavaScript is a snippet from my ajax functions. If I remove the xmlns="example.com" portion from the main tag, I am able to successfully get the value. As long as any namespace is present, the value becomes undefined.

Edit 2:

It may be worth mentioning that none of the declared namespaces are actually used in the XML tags (like the sample above). In the actual XML file I am working with, three namespaces are declared, but no tags are prefixed with a namespace reference. Thus, perhaps the question should be re-titled, "How to remove unused XML namespaces using Javascript?" I do not see the reason to retain a namespace if it is 1) never used and 2) complicating an otherwise simple path to a node using xpath.

Answer 1

This should remove any namespace declaration you find:

var xml = http.responseXML.replace(/<([a-zA-Z0-9 ]+)(?:xml)ns=\".*\"(.*)>/g, "<$1$2>");

Answer 2

Inorder to replace all the xmlns attributes from an XML javascript string

you can try the following regex

xmlns=\"(.*?)\"

NB: This regex can be used to replace any attributes

var str = `<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<main xmlns="example.com">
  <primary>
    <enabled>true</enabled>
  </primary>
  <secondary>
    <enabled>false</enabled>
  </secondary>
</main>`;

str = str.replace(/xmlns=\"(.*?)\"/g, '');

console.log(str)