The following table shows the supported node types for this method.

If the reader is in the initial state, this method moves the reader to the end of file. If the reader is already at the end of file or in a closed state, this method is non-operational.

The following C# code copies an entire XML input document to the console:

XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(myfile);
XmlWriter writer = XmlWriter.Create(Console.Out);
writer.WriteNode(reader, false);

If you have moved off the root node and are positioned elsewhere in the document the following C# example correctly writes out the nodes.

XmlReader reader = XmlReader.Create(myfile);
reader.Read(); // Read PI
reader.Read(); // Read Comment
reader.Read(); // Read DOCType
XmlWriter writer = XmlWriter.Create(Console.Out);
while (!reader.EOF){
  writer.WriteNode(reader, false);
 }

If the reader is configured to return white space and the writer has is configured to indent output, WriteNode may produce strange output. You will essentially be getting double formatting.

For the asynchronous version of this method, see XmlWriter.WriteNodeAsync(XmlReader, bool).

The following example uses a System.Xml.XmlTextReader and a System.Xml.XmlTextWriter to copy an XML file, specified in the command line, to the console.

using System;
using System.Xml;

public class Copier {

  public static void Main(string[] args) {

    XmlTextReader xtReader = new XmlTextReader(args[0]);
    XmlTextWriter xtWriter =
      new XmlTextWriter(Console.Out);
    xtWriter.WriteNode(xtReader, false);
    xtWriter.Close();
    xtReader.Close();
  }
}