## CompositeNode class

Base class for nodes that can contain other nodes.

To learn more, visit the [Aspose.Words Document Object Model (DOM)](https://docs.aspose.com/words/net/aspose-words-document-object-model/) documentation article.

```csharp
public abstract class CompositeNode : Node, IEnumerable<Node>, IXPathNavigable
```

## Properties

| Name | Description |
| --- | --- |
| [Count](../../aspose.words/compositenode/count/) { get; } | Gets the number of immediate children of this node. |
| [CustomNodeId](../../aspose.words/node/customnodeid/) { get; set; } | Specifies custom node identifier. |
| virtual [Document](../../aspose.words/node/document/) { get; } | Gets the document to which this node belongs. |
| [FirstChild](../../aspose.words/compositenode/firstchild/) { get; } | Gets the first child of the node. |
| [HasChildNodes](../../aspose.words/compositenode/haschildnodes/) { get; } | Returns `true` if this node has any child nodes. |
| override [IsComposite](../../aspose.words/compositenode/iscomposite/) { get; } | Returns `true` as this node can have child nodes. |
| [LastChild](../../aspose.words/compositenode/lastchild/) { get; } | Gets the last child of the node. |
| [NextSibling](../../aspose.words/node/nextsibling/) { get; } | Gets the node immediately following this node. |
| abstract [NodeType](../../aspose.words/node/nodetype/) { get; } | Gets the type of this node. |
| [ParentNode](../../aspose.words/node/parentnode/) { get; } | Gets the immediate parent of this node. |
| [PreviousSibling](../../aspose.words/node/previoussibling/) { get; } | Gets the node immediately preceding this node. |
| [Range](../../aspose.words/node/range/) { get; } | Returns a [`Range`](../range/) object that represents the portion of a document that is contained in this node. |

## Methods

| Name | Description |
| --- | --- |
| abstract [Accept](../../aspose.words/node/accept/)(*[DocumentVisitor](../documentvisitor/)*) | Accepts a visitor. |
| abstract [AcceptEnd](../../aspose.words/compositenode/acceptend/)(*[DocumentVisitor](../documentvisitor/)*) | When implemented in a derived class, calls the VisitXXXEnd method of the specified document visitor. |
| abstract [AcceptStart](../../aspose.words/compositenode/acceptstart/)(*[DocumentVisitor](../documentvisitor/)*) | When implemented in a derived class, calls the VisitXXXStart method of the specified document visitor. |
| [AppendChild&lt;T&gt;](../../aspose.words/compositenode/appendchild/)(*T*) | Adds the specified node to the end of the list of child nodes for this node. |
| [Clone](../../aspose.words/node/clone/)(*bool*) | Creates a duplicate of the node. |
| [CreateNavigator](../../aspose.words/compositenode/createnavigator/)() | Creates navigator which can be used to traverse and read nodes. |
| [GetAncestor](../../aspose.words/node/getancestor/)(*[NodeType](../nodetype/)*) | Gets the first ancestor of the specified [`NodeType`](../nodetype/). |
| [GetAncestor](../../aspose.words/node/getancestor/)(*Type*) | Gets the first ancestor of the specified object type. |
| [GetChild](../../aspose.words/compositenode/getchild/)(*[NodeType](../nodetype/), int, bool*) | Returns an Nth child node that matches the specified type. |
| [GetChildNodes](../../aspose.words/compositenode/getchildnodes/)(*[NodeType](../nodetype/), bool*) | Returns a live collection of child nodes that match the specified type. |
| [GetEnumerator](../../aspose.words/compositenode/getenumerator/)() | Provides support for the for each style iteration over the child nodes of this node. |
| override [GetText](../../aspose.words/compositenode/gettext/)() | Gets the text of this node and of all its children. |
| [IndexOf](../../aspose.words/compositenode/indexof/)(*[Node](../node/)*) | Returns the index of the specified child node in the child node array. |
| [InsertAfter&lt;T&gt;](../../aspose.words/compositenode/insertafter/)(*T, [Node](../node/)*) | Inserts the specified node immediately after the specified reference node. |
| [InsertBefore&lt;T&gt;](../../aspose.words/compositenode/insertbefore/)(*T, [Node](../node/)*) | Inserts the specified node immediately before the specified reference node. |
| [NextPreOrder](../../aspose.words/node/nextpreorder/)(*[Node](../node/)*) | Gets next node according to the pre-order tree traversal algorithm. |
| [PrependChild&lt;T&gt;](../../aspose.words/compositenode/prependchild/)(*T*) | Adds the specified node to the beginning of the list of child nodes for this node. |
| [PreviousPreOrder](../../aspose.words/node/previouspreorder/)(*[Node](../node/)*) | Gets the previous node according to the pre-order tree traversal algorithm. |
| [Remove](../../aspose.words/node/remove/)() | Removes itself from the parent. |
| [RemoveAllChildren](../../aspose.words/compositenode/removeallchildren/)() | Removes all the child nodes of the current node. |
| [RemoveChild&lt;T&gt;](../../aspose.words/compositenode/removechild/)(*T*) | Removes the specified child node. |
| [RemoveSmartTags](../../aspose.words/compositenode/removesmarttags/)() | Removes all [`SmartTag`](../../aspose.words.markup/smarttag/) descendant nodes of the current node. |
| [SelectNodes](../../aspose.words/compositenode/selectnodes/)(*string*) | Selects a list of nodes matching the XPath expression. |
| [SelectSingleNode](../../aspose.words/compositenode/selectsinglenode/)(*string*) | Selects the first [`Node`](../node/) that matches the XPath expression. |
| [ToString](../../aspose.words/node/tostring/)(*[SaveFormat](../saveformat/)*) | Exports the content of the node into a string in the specified format. |
| [ToString](../../aspose.words/node/tostring/)(*[SaveOptions](../../aspose.words.saving/saveoptions/)*) | Exports the content of the node into a string using the specified save options. |

## Remarks

A document is represented as a tree of nodes, similar to DOM or XmlDocument.

For more info see the Composite design pattern.

The `CompositeNode` class:

* Provides access to the child nodes.
* Implements Composite operations such as insert and remove children.
* Provides methods for XPath navigation.

## Examples

Shows how to traverse through a composite node's collection of child nodes.

```csharp
Document doc = new Document();

// Add two runs and one shape as child nodes to the first paragraph of this document.
Paragraph paragraph = (Paragraph)doc.GetChild(NodeType.Paragraph, 0, true);
paragraph.AppendChild(new Run(doc, "Hello world! "));

Shape shape = new Shape(doc, ShapeType.Rectangle);
shape.Width = 200;
shape.Height = 200;
// Note that the 'CustomNodeId' is not saved to an output file and exists only during the node lifetime.
shape.CustomNodeId = 100;
shape.WrapType = WrapType.Inline;
paragraph.AppendChild(shape);

paragraph.AppendChild(new Run(doc, "Hello again!"));

// Iterate through the paragraph's collection of immediate children,
// and print any runs or shapes that we find within.
NodeCollection children = paragraph.GetChildNodes(NodeType.Any, false);

Assert.That(paragraph.GetChildNodes(NodeType.Any, false).Count, Is.EqualTo(3));

foreach (Node child in children)
    switch (child.NodeType)
    {
        case NodeType.Run:
            Console.WriteLine("Run contents:");
            Console.WriteLine($"\t\"{child.GetText().Trim()}\"");
            break;
        case NodeType.Shape:
            Shape childShape = (Shape)child;
            Console.WriteLine("Shape:");
            Console.WriteLine($"\t{childShape.ShapeType}, {childShape.Width}x{childShape.Height}");
            break;
    }
```

### See Also

* class [Node](../node/)
* namespace [Aspose.Words](../../aspose.words/)
* assembly [Aspose.Words](../../)