>>>>>>>Cloning was the way to go. This is the new code. However, I would like to know why I have to clone to avoid this situation.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>

>>>>>>>        ' Get a XML node attribute
>>>>>>>        ' expC1 Node
>>>>>>>        ' expC2 Attribute
>>>>>>>        Public Function GetXMLNodeAttributeValue(ByVal tcNode As String, ByVal tcAttribute As String) As Boolean
>>>>>>>            Dim llFound As Boolean = False
>>>>>>>            Dim loAttribute As XmlAttribute = Nothing
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            ' Reset the values
>>>>>>>            cMessage = ""
>>>>>>>            cNodeAttribute = ""
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            ' If we have a content
>>>>>>>            If Not oXmlAttributeCollection Is Nothing Then
>>>>>>>                oXmlAttributeCollection.RemoveAll()
>>>>>>>            End If
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            ' Select the node
>>>>>>>            If oXmlNameSpaceManager Is Nothing Then
>>>>>>>                oXmlNode = oXmlDocument.SelectSingleNode(tcNode)
>>>>>>>            Else
>>>>>>>                oXmlNode = oXmlDocument.SelectSingleNode(tcNode, oXmlNameSpaceManager)
>>>>>>>            End If
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            ' If the node does not exist
>>>>>>>            If oXmlNode Is Nothing Then
>>>>>>>                cMessage = oApp.StrTran(cNodeDoesNotExist, "##Node##", tcNode)
>>>>>>>                Return False
>>>>>>>            End If
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            ' Assign the new attributes to this object
>>>>>>>            oXmlAttributeCollection = oXmlNode.Clone.Attributes
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            ' Scan the attribute collection
>>>>>>>            For Each loAttribute In oXmlNode.Attributes
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>                ' If this is the one
>>>>>>>                If UCase(loAttribute.Name) = UCase(tcAttribute) Then
>>>>>>>                    cNodeAttribute = loAttribute.Value
>>>>>>>                    llFound = True
>>>>>>>                    Exit For
>>>>>>>                End If
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            Next
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            ' If we did not find it
>>>>>>>            If Not llFound Then
>>>>>>>                cMessage = oApp.StrTran(cAttributeDoesNotExist, "##Attribute##", tcAttribute)
>>>>>>>                Return False
>>>>>>>            End If
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>            Return True
>>>>>>>        End Function
>>>>>>>

Well, you certainly shouldn't have to clone (assuming the XmlDocument and the NameSpaceManager do not change - but since the method references objects which are external it's a bit difficult to know what else might be going on.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>I think the way it is written, he has to clone
>>>>>
>>>>>Better would be to take this part out
>>>>>

>>>>> ' If we have a content
>>>>>>            If Not oXmlAttributeCollection Is Nothing Then
>>>>>>                oXmlAttributeCollection.RemoveAll()
>>>>>>            End If
>>>>>

>>>>>
>>>>>Then he doesn't need cloning at all
>>>>
>>>>But the relevance of oXmlAttributeCollection is not obvious in the listing - and not used at all in the search ?
>>>>In essence:

    private static bool GetXMLNodeAttributeValue(string tcNode, string tcAttribute)
>>>>    {
>>>>      var v = oXmlDocument.SelectSingleNode(tcNode);
>>>>      if (v == null) return false;
>>>>
>>>>     foreach (XmlAttribute a in v.Attributes)
>>>>     {
>>>>       if (a.Name.ToUpper() == tcAttribute.ToUpper())
>>>>         return true;
>>>>     }
>>>>      return false;
>>>>    }

>>>>Why do you believe .Clone is needed ?
>>>>But you're right in that the .RemoveAll is not neccessary.....
>>>
>>>
>>>Clone is needed because he saves the last node used in oXmlAttributeCollection and
>>>at the beginning of the method he writes oXmlAttributeCollection.RemoveAll()
>>>
>>>So, instead of just clearing the reference ( setting it to null or Nothing), he uses RemoveAll() on the saved reference. If you work like that you need cloning
>>>
>>>It's not clear to me why he needs oXmlAttributeCollection in the first place. But, like you said, it's difficult without knowing the whole picture
>>
>>Would oXmlAttributeCollection only be relevant if it was a reference to the attribute collections of tcNode itself ?
>
>
>For the problem described - I think so
>
>But in any case, the second call to the method modifies the XmlDocument which- I believe - is not intended

Guess we have to wait and see if Michel enlightens us :-}
Have a good xmas......