private static List <XElement> ReadFromAD(string id = "") { //get AD data string url = "http://data.winchester.ac.uk/ad/users/?kac-usercategory="; if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(id)) { url = $"http://data.winchester.ac.uk/ad/users/{id}?kac-usercategory="; } //get staff var userdata = new Uri(url + "staff").Download().Root.Elements("user").ToList(); //get students userdata.AddRange(new Uri(url + "student").Download().Root.Elements("user").ToList()); //for testing //userdata.AddRange(new Uri(url).Download().Root.Elements("user").ToList()); return(userdata); }