How to select all leaf nodes using XPath expression?

Question

I believe it's possible but couldn't figure out the syntax. Something like this:

xmlNode.SelectNodes("//*[count(child::*) <= 1]")

but this is not correct.

Answer 1

Use:

//node()[not(node())]

In case only element leaf nodes are wanted (and this needs clarification -- are elements that have non-element children considered leaf nodes?), then the following XPath expression selects them:

//*[not(*)]

Both expressions above are probably the shortest that select the desired nodes (either any-node or element -- leaf nodes).

Answer 2

Any elements with no element child

//*[not(child::*)]

Answer 3

Why less or equal to 1 ?

xmlNode.SelectNodes("//*[count(child::*) = 0]")

Make tests etc at this site http://www.whitebeam.org/library/guide/TechNotes/xpathtestbed.rhtm

Pretty helpful ..

Answer 4

I'm adding this XSLT answer since it seems google's front matches lack such a solution:

After a long struggle with extracting CDATA as XML, eventually, this expression worked best for me:

<xsl:template match="*[not(child::*)]/text()">