## select_single_node(xpath) {#str}

Selects the first [Node](../../node/) that matches the XPath expression.



```python
def select_single_node(self, xpath: str):
    ...
```

| Parameter | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| xpath | str | The XPath expression. |

### Remarks

Only expressions with element names are supported at the moment. Expressions
that use attribute names are not supported.




### Returns

The first [Node](../../node/) that matches the XPath query or ``None`` if no matching node is found.


### Examples

Shows how to select certain nodes by using an XPath expression.

```python
doc = aw.Document(file_name=MY_DIR + 'Tables.docx')
# This expression will extract all paragraph nodes,
# which are descendants of any table node in the document.
node_list = doc.select_nodes('//Table//Paragraph')
# Iterate through the list with an enumerator and print the contents of every paragraph in each cell of the table.
index = 0
for node in node_list:
    print(f'Table paragraph index {index}, contents: "{node.get_text().strip()}"')
    index += 1
# This expression will select any paragraphs that are direct children of any Body node in the document.
node_list = doc.select_nodes('//Body/Paragraph')
# We can treat the list as an array.
self.assertEqual(4, len(list(node_list)))
# Use SelectSingleNode to select the first result of the same expression as above.
node = doc.select_single_node('//Body/Paragraph')
self.assertEqual(aw.Paragraph, type(node.as_paragraph()))
```

### See Also

* module [aspose.words](../../)
* class [CompositeNode](../)