you can search and access the attribute of xml using something like

var myXmlFile:XML = <myRoot><myNode><firstNode id="node1" value="value1"></firstNode><firstNode id="node2" value="value2"></firstNode></myNode></myRoot>;

myXmlFile.myNode.firstNode.(@id=='node2').@value

if you want to search use ECMAScript for XML ( E4X ) functionality.

var data:XML =  
     <items>  
         <item name="Fruit">  
             <product>Apple</product>  
             <price>100</price>  
         </item>
 </items>;  

you have two options to make search 

do looping of each node and find the item

or apply filter like this :

you can filter items of the collection
   var items:XMLList = data.item.(product== "Apple" && price < 200);  

you can use unique comparison for getting single item rather than a list.

Thank you both for the reply!! I understand what you are saying but I guess I just need to read and learn more about this.

myPCinvCol = new XMLListCollection(myXml..pcinfo.(dept.toLowerCase().indexOf(search_txt.text.toLowerCase()) != -1 )); 

I guess I need to understand what is happening in the above line. I get most of it but don't understand the placement of all the " ( " and also what the -1 would be. So there is now way to use the above syntax but search all of the pcinfo nodes at once? Thanks again for any help.

HI max , let me explain you the functionality of your code

myPCinvCol = new XMLListCollection(myXml.pcinfo.dept.toLowerCase().indexOf(search_txt.text.toLowerCase()) != -1 )); 

this code will try to search the text provided in textbox (search_txt.text) where dept is not null -1 means that dept is not empty. so the code will search "dept" in your xml's each node for the text you entered. comparison with -1 ensures that if dept value is not present in any node then exception does not occur. if you still have problem in your code then post your xml or upload your project somewhere and post the link here. I will try to fix it up :)

Hi dave..

I have a little doubt in parsing xml to form objects and give as dataprovider to the DATAGRID..
i knw a way which finds the tag or attribute and convert into objects and assign the same to DATAGRID..
for ex:
if the datagrid has 3 columns, and the code is like this...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<mx:Application xmlns:mx="http://www.adobe.com/2006/mxml" layout="absolute" creationComplete="init();">
	<mx:DataGrid x="90" y="105" id="dg">
		<mx:columns>
			<mx:DataGridColumn headerText="Column 1" dataField="name"/>
			<mx:DataGridColumn headerText="Column 2" dataField="ssn"/>
		</mx:columns>
	</mx:DataGrid>
	
	<mx:Script>
		<![CDATA[
			
			var employees:XML =
                <employees>
                    <employee ssn="123-123-1234">
                        <name first="John" last="Doe"/>
                        <address>
                            <street>11 Main St.</street>
                            <city>San Francisco</city>
                            <state>CA</state>
                            <zip>98765</zip>
                        </address>
                    </employee>
                    <employee ssn="789-789-7890">
                        <name first="Mary" last="Roe"/>
                        <address>
                            <street>99 Broad St.</street>
                            <city>Newton</city>
                            <state>MA</state>
                            <zip>01234</zip>
                        </address>
                    </employee>
                </employees>;
			
			
			
			private function init():void
			{
				var arr:Array=[];
				for each(var xm:XML in employees.employee)
				{
					var obj={
								name	:	xm.name.@first,
								ssn		:	xm.@ssn
								
					}
					arr.push(obj);
				}
				dg.dataProvider=arr;
			}//
		]]>
	</mx:Script>
	
</mx:Application>

now my question is.. instead of looping through the xml and then forming obj's, is there any direct way to use the tags or attributes that i want to show in the datagrid.. *note: i do not knw the number of data that comes from the server...