public void addAttributeNode(string attribute) { XElement skill = new XElement("skill", new object[] { new XAttribute("type", attribute), new XAttribute("value", "0") }); CrewMember.Elements("skills").First <XElement>().Add(skill); switch (skill.Attribute("type").Value) { case "boarding": Boarding = skill; break; case "combat": Combat = skill; break; case "engineering": Engineering = skill; break; case "navigation": Navigation = skill; break; case "leadership": Leadership = skill; break; case "morale": Morale = skill; break; case "science": Science = skill; break; case "management": Management = skill; break; } }