How to populate list component via xml file?

Question

There is a TextArea component that should show the name and
the description of the item selected in the list component. But I
dont know how to populate list with external XML and what should be
the coding in flash as well as what should be written in the XML.
Please help.

Answer 1

Here's an xml file listing a couple of brother comedy teams:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<team>
<brothers>
<Marx>
<name>Groucho</name>
<name>Chico</name>
<name>Harpo</name>
<name>Zeppo</name>
<name>Gummo</name>
</Marx>
<Howard>
<name>Moe</name>
<name>Curly</name>
<name>Shemp</name>
</Howard>
</brothers>
</team>
Open a new .fla and save it in the same folder as the .xml
file. Place a List Component on the Stage and name it (in this
case, "comicTeams_list"). In the first frame write the following
ActionScript:
//create XML object and load external xml file
var broList:XML = new XML();
broList.ignoreWhite = true;
broList.onLoad = processList; // this is a function that will
be written below
broList.load("populateList.xml");
function processList(success:Boolean):Void{
if(success){
loadList();
}else{
trace("Load failure");
function loadList():Void{
var broName:String;
var listEntries =
broList.firstChild.childNodes[0].childNodes[0].childNodes.length;
for(var i:Number = 0;i<listEntries;i++){
broName =
broList.firstChild.childNodes[0].childNodes[0].childNodes
.childNodes[0].nodeValue;
trace(broName);
comicTeams_list.addItem(broName);
//to make something happen when you click on a name in the
List, create a Listener and function
var broListListener:Object = new Object();
broListListener.change = someAction; //"someAction" is a
function to be written shortly
//add the Listener to the List
comicTeams_list.addEventListener("change", broListListener);
function someAction(evtObj:Object):Void{
var pickedBrother:String = evtObj.target.selectedItem.label;
//write actions here, referencing pickedBrother variable
The names of the Marx Brothers will appear in the box.
This is written in AS2. When you post a question, it's a good
idea include which version of ActionScript you're using.