>>>>>>>>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......


Merry Christmas