---
name: "XML::DOM::Document"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libxml-dom-perl"
version: "1.46-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/XML::DOM::Document"
---

# XML::DOM::Document(3pm)

An XML document node in XML::DOM

## NAME

XML::DOM::Document - An XML document node in XML::DOM

## DESCRIPTION

XML::DOM::Document extends XML::DOM::Node.

It is the main root of the XML document structure as returned by  XML::DOM::Parser::parse and XML::DOM::Parser::parsefile.

Since elements, text nodes, comments, processing instructions, etc. cannot exist outside the context of a Document, the Document interface also contains the factory methods needed to create these objects. The Node objects created have a getOwnerDocument method which associates them with the Document within whose context they were created.

### METHODS

- getDocumentElement

  This is a convenience method that allows direct access to the child node that is the root Element of the document.

- getDoctype

  The Document Type Declaration (see DocumentType) associated with this document. For HTML documents as well as XML documents without a document type declaration this returns undef. The DOM Level 1 does not support editing the Document Type Declaration.

  **Not In DOM Spec**: This implementation allows editing the doctype.  See *XML::DOM::ignoreReadOnly* for details.

- getImplementation

  The DOMImplementation object that handles this document. A DOM application may use objects from multiple implementations.

- createElement (tagName)

  Creates an element of the type specified. Note that the instance returned implements the Element interface, so attributes can be specified directly on the returned object.

  DOMExceptions:

  - •

    INVALID\_CHARACTER\_ERR

    Raised if the tagName does not conform to the XML spec.

- createTextNode (data)

  Creates a Text node given the specified string.

- createComment (data)

  Creates a Comment node given the specified string.

- createCDATASection (data)

  Creates a CDATASection node given the specified string.

- createAttribute (name \[, value \[, specified \]\])

  Creates an Attr of the given name. Note that the Attr instance can then be set on an Element using the setAttribute method.

  **Not In DOM Spec**: The DOM Spec does not allow passing the value or the  specified property in this method. In this implementation they are optional.

  Parameters:\
    *value*     The attribute's value. See Attr::setValue for details.\
                 If the value is not supplied, the specified property is set to 0.\
    *specified* Whether the attribute value was specified or whether the default\
                 value was used. If not supplied, it's assumed to be 1.

  DOMExceptions:

  - •

    INVALID\_CHARACTER\_ERR

    Raised if the name does not conform to the XML spec.

- createProcessingInstruction (target, data)

  Creates a ProcessingInstruction node given the specified name and data strings.

  Parameters:\
    *target*  The target part of the processing instruction.\
    *data*    The data for the node.

  DOMExceptions:

  - •

    INVALID\_CHARACTER\_ERR

    Raised if the target does not conform to the XML spec.

- createDocumentFragment

  Creates an empty DocumentFragment object.

- createEntityReference (name)

  Creates an EntityReference object.

### Additional methods not in the DOM Spec

- getXMLDecl and setXMLDecl (xmlDecl)

  Returns the XMLDecl for this Document or undef if none was specified. Note that XMLDecl is not part of the list of child nodes.

- setDoctype (doctype)

  Sets or replaces the DocumentType.  **NOTE**: Don't use appendChild or insertBefore to set the DocumentType. Even though doctype will be part of the list of child nodes, it is handled specially.

- getDefaultAttrValue (elem, attr)

  Returns the default attribute value as a string or undef, if none is available.

  Parameters:\
    *elem*    The element tagName.\
    *attr*    The attribute name.

- getEntity (name)

  Returns the Entity with the specified name.

- createXMLDecl (version, encoding, standalone)

  Creates an XMLDecl object. All parameters may be undefined.

- createDocumentType (name, sysId, pubId)

  Creates a DocumentType object. SysId and pubId may be undefined.

- createNotation (name, base, sysId, pubId)

  Creates a new Notation object. Consider using  XML::DOM::DocumentType::addNotation!

- createEntity (parameter, notationName, value, sysId, pubId, ndata)

  Creates an Entity object. Consider using XML::DOM::DocumentType::addEntity!

- createElementDecl (name, model)

  Creates an ElementDecl object.

  DOMExceptions:

  - •

    INVALID\_CHARACTER\_ERR

    Raised if the element name (tagName) does not conform to the XML spec.

- createAttlistDecl (name)

  Creates an AttlistDecl object.

  DOMExceptions:

  - •

    INVALID\_CHARACTER\_ERR

    Raised if the element name (tagName) does not conform to the XML spec.

- expandEntity (entity \[, parameter\])

  Expands the specified entity or parameter entity (if parameter=1) and returns its value as a string, or undef if the entity does not exist. (The entity name should not contain the '%', '&' or ';' delimiters.)

- check ( \[$checker\] )

  Uses the specified XML::Checker to validate the document. If no XML::Checker is supplied, a new XML::Checker is created. See XML::Checker for details.

- check\_sax ( \[$checker\] )

  Similar to **check()** except it uses the SAX interface to XML::Checker instead of  the expat interface. This method may disappear or replace **check()** at some time.

- createChecker ()

  Creates an XML::Checker based on the document's DTD. The `$checker` can be reused to check any elements within the document. Create a new XML::Checker whenever the DOCTYPE section of the document  is altered!