xml em string

dá uma olhada nesta Varias funções para trabalhar com strings:

Replace_Bad_Words - Uma função para substituir removendo Bad strings.

Rep_Chars - remove caracteres indesejados de strings (html, especial, reservado) para o armazenamento de dados.

Fix_Chars - substitui caracteres de fixação feita por Rep_Chars. Correções de caracteres para exibir html.

Sentence_Continue - Formata uma string para um certo tamanho, se demasiado longo e, em seguida, adiciona um ... ao final do mesmo.

Count_Words - Conta o número de palavras em uma strings.

Make_Word_Wrap - Wraps o número de caracteres permitidos, acrescentando um espaço para romper excessivamente palavras longas .

Function Replace_Bad_Words(Data As String) As String

If Data = "" Then Exit Function
'-------------------------------------

'Dirt Words----------------------
Bad_Word = Array("ass", "bitch", "biatch", "blowjob", "bukkake", "bullshit", "cunt", "cum", "dicked", "dickhead" _
& "dickweed", "dildo", "fuck", "gangbang", "goddamnit", "handjob", "jackoff", "motherfucker", "motherfucking" _
& "pissed", "pisses", "---o", "pussy", "pussified", "shit", "titties", "twat")
'--------------------------------

'Replace Bad Words-----------------
For Bad = 0 To UBound(Bad_Word)
Data = Replace(Data, Bad_Word(Bad), String(Len(Bad_Word(Bad)), "*"), , , vbTextCompare)
Next Bad
'----------------------------------

Replace_Bad_Words = Data
'--------------------------

End Function

Function Rep_Chars(Data As String) As String

'Replace caracters to allow in database, one to one ratio---
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(60), Chr(251))
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(62), Chr(252))
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(34), Chr(253))
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(39), Chr(254))
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(13), Chr(255))
'-----------------------------------------------------------

Rep_Chars = Data
'-----------------

End Function

Function Fix_Chars(Data As String) As String

Data = Replace(Data, Chr(251), "<")
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(252), ">")
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(253), """)
Data = Replace(Data, Chr(254), "'")

 Data = Replace(Data, Chr(255), "<br>")
 '----------------------------------------------------

 Fix_Chars = Data
 '-----------------

End Function

Function Sentence_Continue(Data As String, chrlength As Integer) As String

If Len(Data) > chrlength Then
Sentence_Continue = Mid(Data, 1, chrlength) & "..."
Else
Sentence_Continue = Data
End If
'-----------------------------------------------

End Function

Function Count_Words(Data As String) As Integer

Words = Split(Data, " ")
Count_Words = Int(UBound(Words) + 1)
'---------------------------------

End Function

Function Make_Word_Wrap(Data_String As String, Word_Size_Allowed As Integer)

Counter = 0
Fixed_Word = ""
'----------------------------------------

If Data_String = "" Then Exit Function
'--------------------------------------------

If Len(Data_String) < Word_Size_Allowed Then
Make_Word_Wrap = Data_String
Exit Function
End If
'----------------------------------------------------------------

DataOf = Split(Data_String, " ")
'------------------------------------------------------

For Breakdown = LBound(DataOf) To UBound(DataOf)

If Len(DataOf(Breakdown)) > Word_Size_Allowed Then

For breakword = 1 To Len(DataOf(Breakdown))

Counter = Counter + 1

'Replace characters that are too long with spaces-------------
If Counter > Word_Size_Allowed Then
Fixed_Word = Fixed_Word & " " & Mid(DataOf(Breakdown), breakword, 1)
Counter = 1
Else
Fixed_Word = Fixed_Word & Mid(DataOf(Breakdown), breakword, 1)
End If
'-------------------------------------------------------------

Next breakword
'

'Set new values and reset word-----------------
DataOf(Breakdown) = Fixed_Word
Fixed_Word = ""
'----------------------------------------------

End If
'------------------------------------------------

Next Breakdown

For Rebuild = LBound(DataOf) To UBound(DataOf)
New_String = New_String & DataOf(Rebuild) & " "
Next Rebuild
New_String = Mid(New_String, 1, Len(New_String) - 1)
'-----------------------------------------

Make_Word_Wrap = New_String

End Function
%>

Problema ocorre nos caracteres < e > contidos no início e fim da string do xml. Substitua-os pelo código ASC.