xmlns declaration broke my xPath filter

Question

I have realized a really stupid xPath filter in MatLab:

% Construct the DOM.
docNode = xmlread('C:\Users\MATLAB\test.gpx');

% get the xpath mechanism into the workspace
import javax.xml.xpath.*
factory = XPathFactory.newInstance;
xpath = factory.newXPath;

% compile and evaluate the XPath Expression
expression = xpath.compile('gpx/AddressBook/Entry/PhoneNumber');
phoneNumberNode = expression.evaluate(docNode, XPathConstants.NODE);
phoneNumber = phoneNumberNode.getTextContent

With this XML (specifically a .gpx file) it works:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='ISO-8859-1' standalone='yes' ?>
<gpx version='1.1' creator='TTTracklog V.1.13'>
    <AddressBook>
       <Entry>
          <Name>Friendly J. Mathworker</Name>
          <PhoneNumber>(508) 647-7000</PhoneNumber>
          <Address hasZip="no" type="work">3 Apple Hill Dr, Natick MA</Address>
       </Entry>
    </AddressBook>
</gpx>

and text (508) 647-7000 is returned. Simply adding xmlns attribute to gpx node in this way:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='ISO-8859-1' standalone='yes' ?>
<gpx version='1.1' creator='TTTracklog V.1.13'  xmlns='http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1'>
    <AddressBook>
       <Entry>
          <Name>Friendly J. Mathworker</Name>
          <PhoneNumber>(508) 647-7000</PhoneNumber>
          <Address hasZip="no" type="work">3 Apple Hill Dr, Natick MA</Address>
       </Entry>
    </AddressBook>
</gpx>

gave me error, and matlab report:

??? Attempt to reference field of non-structure array.

Error in ==> test at 12 phoneNumber = phoneNumberNode.getTextContent

Why? How can I avoid that error?

Answer 1

In case you cannot register the default namespace with an associated prefix, use:

*[name()= 'gpx']
    /*[name()='AddressBook']
       /*[name()='Entry']
          /*[name() = 'PhoneNumber']

instead of:

gpx/AddressBook/Entry/PhoneNumber

Here is a complete, XSLT-based, verification:

<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0"
 xmlns:xsl="http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">
 <xsl:output omit-xml-declaration="yes" indent="yes"/>

 <xsl:template match="/">
     <xsl:copy-of select=
     "*[name()= 'gpx']
    /*[name()='AddressBook']
       /*[name()='Entry']
          /*[name() = 'PhoneNumber']
   "/>
 </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

when this transformation is applied on the provided XML document:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='ISO-8859-1' standalone='yes' ?>
<gpx version='1.1' creator='TTTracklog V.1.13'  xmlns='http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1'>
    <AddressBook>
       <Entry>
          <Name>Friendly J. Mathworker</Name>
          <PhoneNumber>(508) 647-7000</PhoneNumber>
          <Address hasZip="no" type="work">3 Apple Hill Dr, Natick MA</Address>
       </Entry>
    </AddressBook>
</gpx>

the wanted element is selected and copied to the output:

<PhoneNumber xmlns="http://www.topografix.com/GPX/1/1">(508) 647-7000</PhoneNumber>