Best method to check the empty child nodes in XML?

Hi, I have a xml which is max 3 levels deep. Now by using C# or Xpath what the best method to check the whether all the child nodes under a parent node are empty.

Thanks in Advance.

From stackoverflow HashName

• Given a sample document of:

  <foo>
    <bar>
      <baz/>
      <baz>Hello, world!</baz>
      <baz><qux/></baz>
    </bar>
  </foo>
  

  This expression tells you which children of foo/bar have any child elements:

  foo/bar/*[count(*)>0]
  

  This expression tells you which children of foo/bar have any child text nodes:

  foo/bar/*[text()]
  

  So to ensure that all children are empty (no child elements or text nodes), ensure that this expression returns true:

  not(foo/bar/*[count(*)>0 or text()])
  

  sebastian : man, i really need to digg into XPath... +1

  Chris Jester-Young : Thanks! Yes, XPath rocks. :-)

  HashName : Thanks Chris, this looks nice and elegant. I more thing will it possible to exclude some child nodes as part of the check.For e.g, there are some nodes which i want to ignore whether they're filled or not.

  Chris Jester-Young : Well, it depends on what you want to exclude, but in general, yes, you can. Feel free to edit your question to elaborate on what you'd like to exclude. :-)

  HashName : Chris, you inspired me to learn more about XPath. Thanks to Zvon.org and Google now I understand the power of XPath. Amen!!!! Thanks again..

  Robert Rossney : Without XPath, XML would hardly be worth using.
  From Chris Jester-Young

• This LINQ to XML query should get close to what you are after:

  
  XElement xml = new XElement("contacts",
    new XElement("contact",
      new XAttribute("contactId", ""),
      new XElement("firstName", ""),
      new XElement("lastName", ""),
      new XElement("Address",
          new XElement("Street", ""))
      ),
  
  
  new XElement("contact",
    new XAttribute("contactId", ""),
    new XElement("firstName", ""),
    new XElement("lastName", "")
     )
   );
  
  var query = from c in xml.Elements()
    where c.Value != ""
    select c;
  
  Console.WriteLine(xml);
  Console.WriteLine(query.Count());
  
  

  When the count of the query == 0 you have no elements with content.

  Depending on what you are after and if you have no other uses for LINQ style manipulation, the xPath solution posted may well be a better fit.

  HashName : Unfortunately I'm still in C# 2.0, so don't have the privilege of using LINQ. Will it be possible for you to suggest something else?
  From David Hall