# Execute XPath

> `UiPath.WebAPI.Activities.ExecuteXPath`

`UiPath.WebAPI.Activities.ExecuteXPath`

Executes the specified XPath expression on a given XML document. For more information on XPath syntax, go [here](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/data/xml/select-nodes-using-xpath-navigation).

## Properties

### Input

* **ExistingXML** - An XDocument variable containing the XML to be processed. Completing this field makes the **XMLString** field unusable. This field supports only XDocument variables.
* **XMLString** - A string or string variable containing the XML to be processed. Completing this field makes the **ExistingXML** field unusable. This field supports only strings and string variables.
* **XPathExpression** - A string or string variable that contains an XPath expression. This field supports only strings and string variables.

### Misc

* **Private** - If selected, the values of variables and arguments are no longer logged at Verbose level.

### Common

* **DisplayName** - The display name of the activity.

### Output

* **Result** - An Object variable containing the retrieved nodes or node-sets of the given XML. This field supports only Object variables.

## Example of Using the Execute XPath Activity

The **Execute XPath** activity is used for reading and extracting data from `.xml` files.

To exemplify how to use this activity, we have created an example that uses the **Execute XPath** activity for extracting the name of a person from a `.xml` file.

This is how the automation process can be built:

1. Open Studio and create a new **Process**.
   :::note
   Make sure to place the `.xml` file inside the project folder. For this example we used the `XMLfiles.txt`.
   :::
2. Drag a **Sequence** to the Workflow Designer.
   * Create the following variables:

     | Variable Name | Variable Type | Default Value |
     | --- | --- | --- |
     | `XMLString` | **String** |  |
     | `Result` | **Object** |  |
3. Drag a **Read Text File** activity inside the sequence container.
   * In the **Properties** panel, add the name `Read XML file` in the **DisplayName** field.
   * Add the value `"XMLfiles.txt"` in the **FileName** field.
   * Add the variable `XMLString` in the **Content** field.
4. Add an **Execute XPath** activity after the **Read Text File** activity.
   * In the **Properties** panel, add the variable `XMLString` in the **XMLString** field.
   * Add the value `"string(/catalog/book/author/text()[1])"` in the **XPathExpression** field. This expression extracts the text found in the **author** field from the `xml` file.
   * Add the variable `Result` in the **Result** field.
5. Drag a **Write Line** activity after the **Execute XPath** activity.
   * Add the expression `"Result: " + Result.ToString` in the **Text** field.
6. Run the process. The robot extracts the name of the author from the `.xml` file and displays it in the **Output** panel.

[Download example](https://www.uipath.com/hubfs/Activities/Execute%20XPath.zip)