XML autodetect - how do i switch it off?

ck2024

Hi all

I need to amend the contents of some XML files on mass.

I've created a batch macro, and it works fine within the macro, but as soon as I put it into practice in the batch macro to process all the files, Alteryx autodetects XML and starts to parse it. I know it is trying to be helpful, but I don't want this behaviour....is there anything that i can do...?

Thanks

Cass

Workflow

Accepted answers

apathetichell

Hi 0 i s a hard coded value in the fileformat parameter for the input data tool. My assumption is that you are bringing in all of your .xml files via directory tool into a batch macro. Is that correct? can you post more of your workflow - specifically the configuration window of any action tools updating any input data tools? Below is an illustration of the value that I'm referencing which needs to be set as 0 to get a file to read in as text.

2021-06-28 (1).png

All comments

apathetichell

are you reading in the file as .xml or as .txt/.csv? you need to bring in the .xml file as .csv/txt if you want to edit it as text.

If you have an input data in your batch macro - make sure the base setting is for fileformat 0 (you can look at the value in the action tool) - value 0 is .txt/.csv - value 37 is for .xml. If it's set for 37 Alteryx will process the document as xml no matter what it's named.

ck2024

Thanks @apathetichell - I've added delimited as \0 to bring the XML file through as text, it is just when you then apply it as a macro that it seems to ignore what you've selected and auto detect the elements anyway...really odd behaviour

apathetichell

2021-06-28 (1).png

ck2024

@apathetichell - you nailed it!

I had used the default file input which seemed to overright the file type i had selected, but when i just updated the file name it worked as you'd indicated so that's resolved. thanks a lot for your help.

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