Creating data in XML format
You can create data that you want to load into your database with the Data Load utility in an XML formatted file. This XML file must follow a specific XML format, which is similar in structure and content to the supported CSV format for loading catalog data.
Before you begin
About this task
If you choose to create and use an XML formatted file, ensure that your file uses the CSV column names as the XML element names and uses a CSV-like file structure. Your file must also specify a keyword to associate the business object you are loading with a mediator and separate individual objects of a business object type within different elements. You must also configure the utility to use the XML data reader instead of the CSV data reader which is the default data reader. For more information about configuring the XML data reader, see Configuring the XML data reader.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Catalogs loadItemName="Catalog">
<Catalog Delete="0">
<Identifier>Spring Fashions</Identifier>
<MasterCatalog>FALSE</MasterCatalog>
<Description>Spring Fashions</Description>
<Name>Spring Fashions</Name>
<ShortDescription>Spring Fashions</ShortDescription>
<LongDescription>Fashions for the Spring season</LongDescription>
</Catalog>
<Catalog Delete="0">
<Identifier>Fall Fashions</Identifier>
<MasterCatalog>FALSE</MasterCatalog>
<Description>Fall Fashions</Description>
<Name>Fall Fashions</Name>
<ShortDescription>Fall Fashions</ShortDescription>
<LongDescription>Fashions for the Fall season</LongDescription>
</Catalog>
</Catalogs>
- The first line in the preceding example identifies the file that you are loading as an XML file.
- The second line is the root element and contains the keyword that corresponds to the catalog
business object type to upload. For example, you can specify the
Catalog
keyword for loading a catalog, or theCatalogEntry
keyword for loading catalog entries. You must specify the business object keyword as theloadItemName
at this root level. The keyword is case-sensitive. - The third line is an example of a second-level element that identifies the objects that are being loaded. For example, the preceding code identifies that a catalog object is being loaded. Identify each object that you are loading in your file at this level. For example, in the preceding code, two catalog objects are being loaded, a Spring Fashions catalog and a Fall Fashions catalog. If you are deleting objects with this file, you can identify whether an object is to be deleted at this level. If the value for the Delete attribute is 1, the catalog object is to be deleted. If the value for the Delete attribute is 0, the catalog object is not to be deleted. If you do not specify a value for the Delete attribute, the value defaults to 0. You can also specify Delete as an element nested within the object element.
- The elements that are nested within the second level (object) elements contain the object
information. For example, the object
Identifier
orShortDescription
. Within these XML elements, the corresponding value for the catalog object that is being loaded must be included. The names of the object information elements are case-sensitive and must match the CSV column names for the same business object type. The elements must be unique for each object that you are loading with an XML file. For example, you cannot include twoShortDescription
elements nested within an object. You can include the information for an object that you are loading as XML elements nested with the object element, or as attributes within the object element. If you are adding your object information as attributes, these XML attributes must be included in the following format:
Where<object attribute="attribute_value">
object
is the object that you are loading, andattribute
is the name of the attribute that you are loading. For example,<Catalog Identifier="Spring Fashions">