Creating Simple HTML to Extract Information from XML File

Author

Reads 1K

Hands Holding a Smartphone with Data on Screen
Credit: pexels.com, Hands Holding a Smartphone with Data on Screen

To extract information from an XML file, you'll first need to create an XML file with the necessary data. This can be done using any text editor, but it's best to use a tool like XMLSpy or Oxygen XML Editor for more complex files.

The XML file should have a root element that contains all the other elements, and each element should have a unique name and attributes. For example, in the "Example of an XML File" section, we created an XML file called "students.xml" with a root element called "students" that contains multiple "student" elements.

Each "student" element has attributes like "id" and "name", and child elements like "age" and "grade". This structure will make it easier to extract the information using HTML.

The key is to understand the structure of the XML file and how to access the data using HTML. By doing so, you'll be able to create a simple HTML page that extracts the information from the XML file.

Recommended read: Online Html and Css Editor

Extracting XML Information

Credit: youtube.com, Parse XML Files with Python - Basics in 10 Minutes

To extract information from an XML file, you need to map XML elements to cells in your workbook. Click Developer > Source to access the XML Source task pane.

Select the elements you want to map by clicking on them, or hold down Ctrl and click multiple nonadjacent elements. This will create a relationship between the cell and the XML data element in the XML schema.

You can unmap XML elements you don't want to use by right-clicking their name in the XML Source task pane and clicking Remove element. This is useful for preventing the contents of cells from being overwritten when you import XML data.

To unmap an XML element, right-click its name in the XML Source task pane, and click Remove element.

Here are some key steps to remember:

*

*Map XML elements to cells in your workbook.

*Unmap XML elements you don't want to use.

*Remove XML map information from a workbook if needed.

Understanding XML Structure

Credit: youtube.com, XML Tutorial for Beginners | What is XML | Learn XML

XML documents are made up of a series of tags that are wrapped around content to provide meaning and context.

The root element is the top-most element in an XML document, and it contains all other elements. This is demonstrated in the example XML document, where the root element is "catalog".

Elements are used to define the structure and organization of XML data, and they can contain other elements, text, or a combination of both. In the example XML document, the "catalog" element contains multiple "product" elements.

Attributes are used to provide additional information about an element, and they are defined within the opening tag of an element. In the example XML document, the "product" element has an attribute called "id".

Tags are used to surround content in XML, and they can be either opening tags or closing tags. Opening tags start with a less-than symbol (closing tags start with a forward slash and a less-than symbol (

Mapping XML Elements

Credit: youtube.com, XML Tutorial 51 Using Xpath With XML

To map XML elements, start by clicking Developer > Source in Excel. This will open the XML Source task pane, where you can select the elements you want to map.

To select nonadjacent elements, click one element and then hold down Ctrl and click each element you want to map. This will allow you to map multiple elements at once.

Decide how you want to handle labels and column headings, as this will affect how your XML data is imported. You can unmap XML elements you don't want to use, or to prevent the contents of cells from being overwritten when you import XML data.

To unmap an XML element, right-click its name in the XML Source task pane and click Remove element. This will temporarily remove the element from the mapping, allowing you to import XML data without overwriting formula cells.

Here's a quick summary of the steps to unmap XML elements:

  • Right-click the XML element's name in the XML Source task pane.
  • Click Remove element.

Working with Python

Credit: youtube.com, Full XML Processing Guide in Python

Working with Python is a breeze, especially when it comes to parsing XML files.

You can use the xml.etree.ElementTree module in Python to parse XML files, which is exactly what we did in our example.

This module allows you to easily navigate and extract data from the XML file.

In our example, we used the parse() method to parse the XML file and the get() method to extract the data we needed.

The ElementTree class is a great tool for working with XML files, and it's easy to learn and use, even for beginners.

We also used the fromstring() method to parse the XML file, which is a more concise way to do it.

The Element class represents an element in the XML file, and it has a get() method that allows you to extract the text of the element.

Cleaning and Processing Text

Before we can extract information from our XML file, we need to clean and process the text data. This involves removing unwanted characters and formatting.

Credit: youtube.com, Converting HTML to Text in Python

XML files often contain unnecessary whitespace characters, which can make it difficult to parse the data. We can use the `trim()` method to remove these characters.

The `trim()` method removes whitespace characters from the beginning and end of a string, but not from the middle. For example, if we have a string like " Hello World ", the `trim()` method would return "Hello World".

Similarly, XML files may contain HTML tags, which can also make it difficult to parse the data. We can use regular expressions to remove these tags.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to fetch XML data in HTML?

To fetch XML data in HTML, use the `loadXMLDoc()` function to send an HTTP request to retrieve the XML file. The response is then processed by the empDetails() function to display employee details in a table format.

How to convert XML data to HTML?

To convert XML data to HTML, we use a two-step process: parsing the XML file to extract data elements, and then transforming that data into HTML code using XSL templates. This process results in a saved HTML file that displays the XML data in a user-friendly format.

Emanuel Anderson

Senior Copy Editor

Emanuel Anderson is a meticulous and detail-oriented Copy Editor with a passion for refining the written word. With a keen eye for grammar, syntax, and style, Emanuel ensures that every article that passes through their hands meets the highest standards of quality and clarity. As a seasoned editor, Emanuel has had the privilege of working on a diverse range of topics, including the latest developments in Space Exploration News.

Love What You Read? Stay Updated!

Join our community for insights, tips, and more.