Why is Alteryx not reading the full xml file?

[Liselise]

I'm trying to input an xml file with a lot of fields and for some reason Alteryx is only bringing in 4 fields.

I have looked for answers on the community with not much luck - why would I only be seeing a tiny portion of the xml after the input tool?

[caltang · Accepted solution]

I’m on my phone right now and can’t open the YXMD - but my guess is, since you’re saying you have less fields, are you reading it like a CSV with delimiters? If yes, perhaps you can set it to \0 to call in everything then delimit it via Regex or Text to columns tool from there to capture all your fields accordingly. 

[Qiu · Accepted solution]

@Liselise 
I dont know about the XML parsing. but found this one and I think it should help.

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Alteryx-Designer-Desktop-Discussions/Parse-XML-with-multiples-tag-t...

[Hammad_Rashid]

If Alteryx is only reading a subset of fields from your XML file, there could be several reasons for this behavior. Here are some potential causes and solutions:

1. Data Sampling in Preview Mode:

   • When you open the Input tool and view the data in the preview window, Alteryx might be displaying only a subset of the data for performance reasons.
   • Check if there's an option in the Input tool's configuration to control the number of rows displayed in the preview. Ensure that the tool is configured to read the entire XML file during the actual execution, even if the preview shows only a few rows.

2. XML Structure and Hierarchy:

   • Verify that the XML file's structure is correctly defined in the XML Parse tool.
   • Check if the fields you're missing are nested within specific elements or attributes that might need special handling.

3. XPath Configuration:

   • Ensure that your XML Parse tool is configured correctly with the appropriate XPath expressions.
   • If the missing fields are within nested elements, adjust the XPath expressions to include the correct path to those elements.

4. Field Names and Case Sensitivity:

   • XML is case-sensitive. Confirm that the field names in the XML file match the field names expected by Alteryx exactly in terms of case sensitivity.

5. Data Quality Issues:

   • Check the XML file for data quality issues. If there are errors or inconsistencies in the XML structure, it might affect Alteryx's ability to read the entire file.
   • Validate the XML file against its schema definition to ensure it adheres to the expected structure.

6. Encoding Issues:

   • Ensure that the XML file is encoded correctly. Alteryx might have trouble reading XML files with unusual or unsupported character encodings.

7. File Permissions:

   • Check if you have the necessary permissions to read the entire XML file. If there are restrictions on file access, it could limit Alteryx's ability to read the complete file.

8. Software Version:

   • Ensure that you are using a version of Alteryx that supports the features you are trying to use. Updating to the latest version might resolve compatibility issues.

[Liselise]

Thanks all!  I needed to check all the boxes in the input tool, as @Qiu did above.   The other suggestions are helpful too, appreciated.

[Qiu]

@Hammad_Rashid 
I am seriously convinced you are either a Robot or an AI account by your many detailed replies. 😁
Would be better if with a sample flow though.