how to filter XML attributes in AS3

Ok- here's a painfully easy one I bet --

开发者_JAVA技巧I'm aware of how to use EX4 to filter most pieces of the xml I need

• however how can I filter an XML list such as the one below to check say --- if a dog is a beagle? preferably as a Boolean.

var theXml:XML =

 <animals>
   <animal dog ="poodle" cat="Siamese" />
   <animal dog ="beagle" cat="calico" />
   <animal dog ="mutt" cat="tabby" />    
 </animals>   

var animalList:XMLList = theXml.animals.animal;

---

this ended up working ( thanks Tyler )...

if (theXml.animals.animal.(@dog == "beagle").length > 0) {
    trace('match')
}

thanks ! -MW

---

I love the power of E4X, here's the example of what you are looking for:

theXml.animals.animal.(@dog == 'beagle');

If it finds a match it'll return it.

EDIT

To answere your question below:

var xml:XML = <a id="34"></a>;

//traces
if (xml.(@id == '34').length() != 0) {
    trace('match')
}

//no trace
if (xml.(@id == '35').length() != 0) {
    trace('match')
}

---

You shouldn't need the root node "animals":

theXml.animal.(@dog == 'beagle');