XML Add

Description

The XML column step allows you to encode the content of a number of fields in a row in XML. This XML is added to the row in the form of a String field.

Content Tab

Option

Description

Step name

Name of the step; this name has to be unique in a single transformation

Encoding

The encoding to use; this encoding is specified in the header of the XML file

Output Value

The name of the new field that contains the XML

Root XML

The name of the root element in the generated element

XML.

Omit XML header

Enable to not include the XML header in the output.

Fields

The Fields tab is where you configure the output fields and their formats. The table below describes each of the available properties for a field:

Option

Description

Fieldname

Name of the field

Element name

The name of the element in the XML file to use

Type

Type of the field can be either String, Date, or Number

Format

Format mask with which to convert data; see Number Formats for a complete description of format specifiers

Length

Output string is padded to this length if it is specified

Precesion

The precision to use

Currency

Symbol used to represent currencies like $10,000.00 or E5.000,00

Decimal

A decimal point can be a "." (10,000.00) or "," (5.000,00)

Grouping

A grouping can be a "," (10,000.00) or "." (5.000,00)

Null

The string to use in case the field value is null.
Attribute: make this an attribute (N means : element)

Example

Use Case
Below is data that comes in a variety of classes and which needs to be stored as XML in a database. You want to turn the raw data into the database layout below:

Raw data

           SHAPE       COLOUR     id    X    Y     RADIUS
           circle      blue             1    3     5    5
           circle      red        2     1    3     5
           circle      blue             5    5     9    5
           circle      blue             6    8     2    5
           circle      red        7     9    7     5


           SHAPE            COLOUR      id   X     Y    LENGTH      WIDTH
           rectangle   blue             3    3     1    6           4
           rectangle   red        6     2    4     6          4
           rectangle   blue             10   8     2    6           4
           rectangle   red        12    7    8     6          4
           rectangle   Blue             14   5     2    6           4

Output Sample

           ID    X     Y          CLASS_DATA
           3     4     7          <SHAPE type="circle">
                                      <COLOUR>blue</COLOUR>
                                      <RADIUS> 5</RADIUS
                                  </SHAPE>


           1     6     3          <SHAPE type="rectangle">
                                      <COLOUR>blue</COLOUR>
                                      <WIDTH> 4</WIDTH>
                                      <LENGTH> 6</LENGTH>
                                  </SHAPE>


           2     8     8          <SHAPE type="rectangle">
                                      <COLOUR>blue</COLOUR>
                                      <WIDTH> 4</WIDTH>
                                      <LENGTH>6</LENGTH>
                                  </SHAPE>
           5     5     2          <SHAPE type="circle">
                                      <COLOUR>blue</COLOUR>
                                      <RADIUS> 5</RADIUS>
                                  </SHAPE>