Xml To Json Node Red

To convert XML to JSON in Node-RED, here are the detailed steps, making it a fast and easy process:

Install the XML Node: First, ensure you have the node-red-node-xml package installed. Go to your Node-RED editor, click the menu (hamburger icon) on the top right, select “Manage palette,” navigate to the “Install” tab, search for node-red-node-xml, and click “install.” This provides the essential xml node for parsing.
Drag and Drop Nodes:
- Inject Node: Drag an inject node onto your flow. This will be your trigger and where you’ll input your XML data.
- XML Node: Drag an xml node (from the “parser” category) onto your flow. This is the core converter.
- Debug Node: Drag a debug node onto your flow. This will display your JSON output in the debug sidebar.
Connect the Nodes: Wire them in sequence: inject -> xml -> debug.
Configure the Inject Node:
- Double-click the inject node.
- Change the “Payload” type to “string” (or “JSON” if your XML is already wrapped in a JSON string).
- Paste your XML content into the payload field. For example: <root><item id="1">Data1</item><item id="2">Data2</item></root>.
- Set it to “Inject once after 0.1 seconds” for easy testing.
Configure the XML Node:
- Double-click the xml node.
- Ensure “Action” is set to “Always convert to a JavaScript object.”
- The “Property” field should typically be msg.payload, as that’s where the XML data usually arrives from the inject node.
- You can set attrkey (for attributes) and charkey (for text content) if you want specific keys in your JSON output.
- Set “Output as formatted JSON” to true if you want pretty-printed JSON.
Deploy and Test:
- Click the “Deploy” button in the top right corner.
- Click the square button on the inject node.
- Check the debug sidebar (usually on the right of the Node-RED editor) to see your XML successfully converted into JSON. You’ll see a structured JavaScript object ready for further processing.

This setup creates a robust node red convert xml to json workflow, handling various XML structures with ease.

Table of Contents

Understanding XML to JSON Conversion in Node-RED

Converting data formats is a cornerstone of modern integration, and the transition from XML to JSON is incredibly common, especially when dealing with legacy systems or enterprise data exchanges that rely on XML, and newer APIs or web applications that prefer JSON. Node-RED, with its visual programming approach, simplifies this often complex task significantly. The core of this conversion within Node-RED relies on the node-red-node-xml package, which provides a dedicated node to parse XML strings into JavaScript objects (which Node-RED inherently handles as JSON when passed between nodes). This process transforms the hierarchical, tag-based structure of XML into the key-value pair, array, and object structure of JSON, making it easier to manipulate and pass to other services or databases. For instance, consider a scenario where you receive shipment data in an XML format from an older logistics system. To integrate this with a modern inventory management API, you’d need to convert this XML into a JSON payload. Node-RED’s XML node automates this, streamlining the data flow and reducing manual parsing efforts. Statistics show that JSON’s adoption has surged, with over 70% of public APIs now preferring JSON over XML due to its lighter weight and ease of parsing in web environments.

Why XML to JSON? The Practical Benefits

The shift from XML to JSON is not just a trend; it’s driven by several practical advantages that make JSON more suitable for a vast array of applications, particularly in web services and mobile development. While XML remains prevalent in certain enterprise and industrial contexts (like SOAP services or financial data exchange standards such as FpML), JSON’s simplicity and native compatibility with JavaScript make it a go-to format for many.

Lightweight Data Exchange: JSON is generally less verbose than XML. For example, to represent a simple user with a name and email, XML might require: <user><name>John Doe</name><email>[email protected]</email></user>, whereas JSON would be: {"user": {"name": "John Doe", "email": "[email protected]"}}. This smaller footprint results in faster transmission times and reduced bandwidth consumption, which is critical for mobile applications and high-traffic APIs. A study by IBM in 2018 indicated that JSON payloads could be 10-30% smaller than equivalent XML payloads.
Easier Parsing and Manipulation: JSON’s structure directly maps to JavaScript objects, which means it can be parsed natively by JavaScript engines without the need for complex DOM parsers. This simplifies development, reduces code complexity, and improves execution speed in web browsers and Node.js environments. For developers, this translates to less boilerplate code and more focus on business logic.
Readability: For many developers, JSON’s clean, bracket-and-brace syntax is more intuitive and easier to read than XML’s tag-based structure, especially when data is nested deeply. This enhances development efficiency and reduces the likelihood of parsing errors.
Ubiquity in Web APIs: The vast majority of modern RESTful APIs communicate using JSON. Converting XML to JSON allows Node-RED flows to seamlessly interact with these contemporary services, whether it’s pushing data to a cloud platform, retrieving information from a third-party service, or integrating with microservices. This is crucial for building robust and interconnected systems. In fact, a survey from ProgrammableWeb showed that over 85% of new APIs published in the last five years used JSON as their primary data format.

The `node-red-node-xml` Palette Explained

The node-red-node-xml package is the linchpin for handling XML data within Node-RED. It provides a single, versatile node—the xml node—that can perform both XML parsing (converting XML to a JavaScript object/JSON) and XML serialization (converting a JavaScript object/JSON back into an XML string). This dual functionality makes it an indispensable tool for bidirectional data transformation in integration flows.

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When you install this palette, the xml node appears under the “parser” category in your Node-RED palette. Its primary function is to take an XML string, typically residing in msg.payload, and parse it into a structured JavaScript object. This object can then be easily accessed and manipulated using change nodes, function nodes, or passed directly to other nodes that expect JSON input. The node also handles attributes, text content, and provides options for how these are represented in the resulting JSON. This is particularly useful when dealing with diverse XML schemas, from simple configurations to complex industry standards like HL7 for healthcare or FpML for finance. The xml node supports various parsing options that allow fine-tuning the conversion process, ensuring that the output JSON accurately reflects the XML structure in a usable format.

Step-by-Step Installation of the XML Node

Before you can wield the power of XML-to-JSON conversion in Node-RED, you need to ensure the node-red-node-xml palette is installed. This is a straightforward process within the Node-RED editor itself, requiring no command-line interaction if you have internet access. Json prettify extension firefox

Open Node-RED Editor: Launch your Node-RED instance. This typically involves navigating to http://localhost:1880 in your web browser, or the specific IP address and port where your Node-RED server is running.
Access the Menu: In the top right corner of the Node-RED editor, you’ll find a “hamburger” icon (three horizontal lines). Click this to open the main menu.
Go to “Manage palette”: From the dropdown menu, select “Manage palette.” This will open a sidebar on the right side of your editor, dedicated to managing your installed nodes and discovering new ones.
Navigate to the “Install” Tab: Within the “Manage palette” sidebar, you’ll see two tabs: “Nodes” (which lists your currently installed nodes) and “Install.” Click on the “Install” tab.
Search for node-red-node-xml: In the search bar provided under the “Install” tab, type node-red-node-xml. The system will search the npm registry for available Node-RED nodes.
Install the Palette: Once node-red-node-xml appears in the search results, you will see an “install” button next to it. Click this button. A confirmation dialog will appear, asking if you want to install the package and its dependencies. Confirm the installation.
Verify Installation: After the installation completes (it usually takes a few seconds to a minute, depending on your internet connection), the xml node should now appear in your Node-RED palette on the left-hand side, typically under the “parser” category. You can also verify by going back to the “Nodes” tab in “Manage palette” and ensuring node-red-node-xml is listed as installed.

This process is generally seamless, reflecting Node-RED’s commitment to ease of use. A stable internet connection is key, as the installation fetches the necessary files from the npm registry.

Configuring the XML Node for Optimal Conversion

The xml node in Node-RED is more than just a simple parser; it offers several configuration options that allow you to fine-tune how your XML data is converted into a JavaScript object, addressing various complexities that might arise from different XML structures. Understanding these options is key to achieving optimal and predictable JSON output.

Action: This dropdown typically has two options: “Always convert to a JavaScript object” (XML to JSON/Object) and “Always convert to an XML string” (JSON/Object to XML). For our xml to json node red conversion, you’ll select “Always convert to a JavaScript object.”
Property: This field specifies which message property contains the XML string that needs to be parsed. By default, it’s set to msg.payload, which is the most common use case. If your XML data is stored in a different message property (e.g., msg.xmlData), you would change this field accordingly.
attrkey (Attribute Key): XML elements can have attributes (e.g., <item id="1">). When converted to JSON, these attributes need a place to live. The attrkey option defines the key name under which all attributes for an element will be grouped. The default value is _attr. So, <item id="1" type="book">Book Name</item> might become {"item": {"_attr": {"id": "1", "type": "book"}, "_text": "Book Name"}} if _attr is used.
charkey (Character Data Key): This option specifies the key name for the text content within an XML element. The default is _text. So, if an XML element is <name>John Doe</name>, its text content “John Doe” will be stored under the _text key in the resulting JSON, like {"name": {"_text": "John Doe"}}. If an element only has text and no attributes or child elements, its value might be directly assigned without _text (depending on compact setting).
pretty (Pretty Output): This checkbox, when selected, ensures that the resulting JSON string (if you serialize it later or view it in the debug tab with JSON formatter) is nicely formatted with indentation, making it much more readable. While it doesn’t affect the internal JavaScript object structure, it’s immensely helpful for debugging and understanding the output.
normalize: If true, this option collapses adjacent text nodes into a single text node. This can clean up parsing output, especially if your XML has mixed content (text and elements interleaved). It’s generally recommended to keep it false unless you have a specific need to normalize text.
decode_entity: When true (default), XML entities like & (for &) or < (for <) are automatically decoded into their corresponding characters. This ensures that the text content in your JSON is human-readable and doesn’t contain encoded characters.
compact: This is a crucial setting. If true, the XML node will attempt to create a more “compact” JSON representation. For instance, if an element has only text content and no attributes or child elements, its value might be directly assigned. E.g., <name>John</name> becomes {"name": "John"} instead of {"name": {"_text": "John"}}. This can make the JSON simpler, but might be less consistent if some elements have mixed content or attributes. It’s often set to false for more predictable object structures that explicitly separate attributes and text.
strict: When true, the parser adheres strictly to XML specifications. If your XML is not perfectly well-formed, enabling strict mode might cause parsing errors. If you’re dealing with slightly malformed XML from external sources, you might need to set this to false (though fixing the source XML is always the best practice).
container: This option allows you to specify a container property within the msg object where the parsed JSON will be placed. The default is payload, meaning the converted JSON will overwrite msg.payload. If you want to keep the original msg.payload (e.g., if it was a large XML string you need for other purposes) and store the JSON elsewhere (e.g., msg.parsedXml), you can set this field.

For a typical xml to json node red conversion where you want a clean, usable JavaScript object, the default settings for attrkey and charkey (_attr, _text) are often good starting points. You might toggle pretty for debugging and compact based on your desired output structure.

Practical XML to JSON Scenarios and Examples

Let’s dive into some real-world scenarios to illustrate how to handle different XML structures and convert them effectively using the xml node in Node-RED. Understanding these patterns is essential for building robust integration flows.

Scenario 1: Simple XML with Attributes and Text

Imagine receiving basic product information from an older inventory system. Prettify json extension vscode

XML Input:

<product sku="P1001" category="Electronics">
  <name>Laptop Pro</name>
  <price currency="USD">1200.00</price>
  <description>High performance laptop with 16GB RAM.</description>
</product>

Node-RED Flow:

Inject Node: Configure its payload as a string and paste the XML above.
XML Node:
- Action: “Always convert to a JavaScript object”
- Property: msg.payload
- attrkey: _attr (default)
- charkey: _text (default)
- compact: false (for clear distinction of text/attributes)
- pretty: true
Debug Node: Set to display msg.payload.

JSON Output:

{
  "product": {
    "_attr": {
      "sku": "P1001",
      "category": "Electronics"
    },
    "name": {
      "_text": "Laptop Pro"
    },
    "price": {
      "_attr": {
        "currency": "USD"
      },
      "_text": "1200.00"
    },
    "description": {
      "_text": "High performance laptop with 16GB RAM."
    }
  }
}

Key Takeaway: Notice how _attr holds attributes and _text holds the element’s text content. This explicit structure, achieved by compact: false, makes the JSON predictable.

Scenario 2: XML with Multiple Child Elements of the Same Name

This is common for lists or collections. Things to do online free

XML Input:

<order id="ORD-001">
  <customer name="Alice Smith"/>
  <items>
    <item id="A123">Pen</item>
    <item id="B456">Notebook</item>
    <item id="C789">Eraser</item>
  </items>
</order>

Node-RED Flow (same as above, focus on XML node config):

compact: false (recommended for consistency)

JSON Output:

{
  "order": {
    "_attr": {
      "id": "ORD-001"
    },
    "customer": {
      "_attr": {
        "name": "Alice Smith"
      }
    },
    "items": {
      "item": [
        {
          "_attr": {
            "id": "A123"
          },
          "_text": "Pen"
        },
        {
          "_attr": {
            "id": "B456"
          },
          "_text": "Notebook"
        },
        {
          "_attr": {
            "id": "C789"
          },
          "_text": "Eraser"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Key Takeaway: When multiple child elements have the same name (<item> here), the xml node automatically converts them into a JSON array, making iteration easy in subsequent function nodes.

Scenario 3: Using `compact: true` for Simpler JSON

Sometimes, if elements only contain text and no attributes, you might want a flatter structure. Reverse binary calculator

XML Input:

<book>
  <title>The Great Journey</title>
  <author>Jane Doe</author>
  <year>2023</year>
</book>

Node-RED Flow:

XML Node:
- compact: true (this is the key difference)

JSON Output:

{
  "book": {
    "title": "The Great Journey",
    "author": "Jane Doe",
    "year": "2023"
  }
}

Key Takeaway: With compact: true, _text is omitted for elements that only contain simple text content, resulting in a more concise JSON structure. Be cautious: if an element sometimes has attributes or complex children, but sometimes just text, compact: true can lead to inconsistent JSON structures, making downstream processing harder. Generally, compact: false provides more predictable output, even if slightly more verbose.

These examples highlight the flexibility of the xml node in node red convert xml to json operations. Always test with your specific XML inputs to ensure the output matches your expectations for subsequent processing. Excel convert seconds to hms

Handling Large XML Files and Performance Considerations

While Node-RED is excellent for rapid prototyping and many integration tasks, processing very large XML files (e.g., hundreds of megabytes or even gigabytes) within a single flow can present performance challenges. Node-RED runs on Node.js, which is single-threaded by default, meaning that a computationally intensive operation like parsing a massive XML file can block the event loop, causing other flows or even the Node-RED editor to become unresponsive.

Memory Usage: Converting a large XML string into a JavaScript object (JSON) requires a significant amount of memory. The in-memory representation of the XML tree can be several times larger than the raw XML string itself, especially if there are many attributes or deeply nested structures. For instance, parsing a 50MB XML file might consume 200MB or more of RAM. Running Node-RED on a system with limited RAM (e.g., a Raspberry Pi with 1GB) could lead to out-of-memory errors or severe performance degradation.
CPU Cycles: Parsing involves traversing the XML tree, creating objects, and assigning properties. This is a CPU-intensive operation. For a large file, this can take a considerable amount of time, during which the Node.js event loop is tied up.

Strategies for Handling Large XML Files:

Stream Processing (Advanced): For truly massive XML files, the ideal approach is stream processing, where you parse the XML incrementally without loading the entire document into memory. This involves using a SAX (Simple API for XML) parser or similar event-driven parsers. However, the standard node-red-node-xml does not natively support streaming for its XML-to-JSON conversion. If streaming is a hard requirement, you might need to:
- Write a Custom Function Node (with external library): Use a function node and install a Node.js streaming XML parser library (e.g., sax-js, xml-flow) directly into your Node-RED environment (requires command-line npm install in your Node-RED user directory). This is more complex and less “no-code.”
- External Service/Microservice: Offload the parsing of very large files to a dedicated microservice or a separate script written in a language more suited for large-file processing (like Python with lxml or Java), and then have Node-RED call this service via HTTP or MQTT.
Increase Node.js Memory Limit: For moderately large files (tens of megabytes), you might be able to increase Node.js’s default memory limit. You can do this by setting the NODE_OPTIONS environment variable before starting Node-RED: NODE_OPTIONS="--max-old-space-size=4096" node-red (sets limit to 4GB). This is a temporary solution and not scalable for truly gigantic files.
Break Down XML: If possible, try to receive or process XML in smaller chunks. For example, if an API provides a large XML response, check if it supports pagination.
Hardware Considerations: Ensure your Node-RED server has sufficient CPU power and RAM if you anticipate frequently processing large XML payloads. A cloud instance with more resources will naturally perform better than a low-spec embedded device. A typical commercial server handling enterprise integration might have 16GB+ RAM and multi-core CPUs.
Benchmarking: Always benchmark your flows with representative data sizes to understand performance bottlenecks. Use the Node-RED debug tab to see message processing times.

For most typical integration scenarios involving XML messages up to several megabytes, the xml node in Node-RED performs admirably without needing complex streaming solutions. However, being aware of these limitations and strategies is crucial for designing scalable and resilient xml to json node red solutions.

Debugging XML to JSON Conversion Issues

Even with the best tools, things can sometimes go sideways. When your XML to JSON conversion in Node-RED isn’t producing the expected output, a systematic debugging approach can save you a lot of time and frustration. The Node-RED debug sidebar is your best friend here, but understanding common pitfalls is equally important.

No Output in Debug Sidebar: Free online survey tool canada
- Are nodes connected? Double-check all wires between your inject, xml, and debug nodes. A broken wire means no data flow.
- Is Debug Node Enabled? Ensure the debug node has its “active” checkbox ticked. Its light green indicator should be active.
- Is Payload Correctly Injected? Verify that your inject node is actually sending the XML string. Temporarily wire the inject node directly to a debug node to see its raw output. Is the XML malformed or missing?
- Error in xml Node? Check the Node-RED console (where Node-RED is running, e.g., your terminal window) for any error messages originating from the xml node. Malformed XML can cause the xml node to error out and stop the flow.
Output is null or undefined:
- Empty Input? Ensure the msg.payload (or whatever property you specified in the xml node’s “Property” field) actually contains an XML string. If it’s empty, the XML node will produce null or undefined.
- Malformed XML: This is a frequent culprit. XML needs to be well-formed:
  - Single Root Element: All XML must have exactly one root element (e.g., <root>...</root>).
  - Correct Tag Nesting: Opening tags must match closing tags and be correctly nested (<a><b></b></a>, not <a><b></a></b>).
  - Valid Characters: Ensure there are no invalid characters or unescaped special characters (<, >, &, ', "). Use <, >, &, ', " for these.
- strict Mode: If your XML is slightly malformed or non-standard, setting the strict option to false in the xml node configuration might allow it to parse, though it’s always better to fix the source XML if possible.
JSON Output Structure is Unexpected:
- Attributes and Text Mixed: If you expect simple key-value pairs but get { "element": { "_attr": {...}, "_text": "..." } }, it’s likely due to the attrkey and charkey settings, or compact being false. Review the xml node configuration settings, especially compact.
- Arrays vs. Single Objects: If you have multiple elements with the same tag name (e.g., <item>A</item><item>B</item>), the xml node should convert them into an array. If it’s not, ensure compact is not leading to unexpected behavior. For consistency, compact: false often provides a more predictable array structure.
- Incorrect attrkey/charkey: If your JSON keys for attributes or text content are not what you expect, check these specific settings in the xml node.
- Namespace Issues: If your XML uses namespaces (e.g., <ns:element>), the xml node processes them, but the resulting JSON might include namespace prefixes. If you need to clean these up, you’ll need a function node after the xml node to iterate and modify the JSON structure.
Performance Issues (Slow Conversion):
- File Size: As discussed, very large XML files can cause slowdowns. Check the size of your input XML.
- System Resources: Monitor Node-RED’s CPU and memory usage using system tools (top, Task Manager). If they’re maxed out, consider increasing resources or implementing streaming solutions for extremely large files.

Debugging Workflow:

Isolate the XML: Copy the exact XML string you’re sending to the xml node. Use an online XML validator (there are many free ones) to check if your XML is well-formed and valid. This often catches simple syntax errors.
Simplify the Flow: Temporarily remove any complex logic surrounding the xml node. Just use inject -> xml -> debug.
Inspect msg.payload before xml node: Wire the inject node directly to a debug node to confirm the XML content is correctly being passed to msg.payload.
Step-by-step Debugging: Use the debug node effectively. Output the “Complete Message Object” if you need to see all msg properties, not just the payload.
Node-RED Logs: Keep an eye on the terminal or command prompt where Node-RED is running. Error messages often provide clues about what went wrong internally.

By systematically going through these steps, you can pinpoint issues related to xml to json node red conversion and get your data flowing smoothly. Reverse binary number

Advanced Transformations Post-XML to JSON Conversion

Once your XML data has been successfully parsed into a JSON object by the xml node, the real power of Node-RED comes into play. The resulting JSON is a standard JavaScript object, making it incredibly flexible for further manipulation, enrichment, and transformation to meet the exact requirements of your target system or application. This is where you typically use change nodes and function nodes to shape the data.

1. Data Renaming and Restructuring with `change` Node

The change node is a visual workhorse for simple data manipulation. You can use it to:

Rename Properties: If your XML node output _attr.id but your target API expects product_id, you can set msg.payload.product_id to msg.payload._attr.id and then delete msg.payload._attr.
Move Properties: Shift properties from one nested level to another. For example, if msg.payload.order.items.item is an array of objects, and you want to lift the item array directly under msg.payload.items, you can achieve this by setting msg.payload.items to msg.payload.order.items.item.
Delete Properties: Remove unwanted keys like _attr or _text if you’ve already extracted the values you need.
Set Fixed Values: Add new properties with static values (e.g., msg.payload.status = "processed").
Concatenate Strings: Combine multiple fields into a single string.

Example: Renaming and Deleting

Let’s say your xml node output:
{"product": {"_attr": {"sku": "P1001"}, "_text": "Laptop"}}

And you want:
{"product_id": "P1001", "name": "Laptop"} Free online survey tool australia

change Node Configuration:

Set: msg.payload.product_id to msg.payload.product._attr.sku
Set: msg.payload.name to msg.payload.product._text
Delete: msg.payload.product

This is highly efficient for straightforward mapping tasks.

2. Complex Logic and Iteration with `function` Node

For more intricate transformations, conditional logic, loops, or integrating external libraries, the function node is indispensable. It allows you to write JavaScript code directly within your flow.

Iterating Arrays: If your JSON contains an array (e.g., a list of items from a repeated XML element), you can loop through this array to process each item individually.

// Example: Process each item in an array
if (msg.payload.order && msg.payload.order.items && Array.isArray(msg.payload.order.items.item)) {
    msg.payload.order.items.item.forEach(item => {
        // Transform item properties, e.g., rename _attr.id to itemId
        if (item._attr && item._attr.id) {
            item.itemId = item._attr.id;
            delete item._attr;
        }
        if (item._text) {
            item.description = item._text;
            delete item._text;
        }
    });
}
return msg;

Conditional Logic: Perform different transformations based on data values.

if (msg.payload.product.price < 100) {
    msg.payload.category = "Budget";
} else {
    msg.payload.category = "Premium";
}
return msg;

Date Formatting: Convert date strings from one format to another.
Calculations: Perform mathematical operations on numeric fields.
External Library Integration: If you need advanced data manipulation (e.g., complex hashing, specific data validation), you can import external Node.js modules into your function node (requires managing Node-RED’s package dependencies).

3. Enriching Data with External Lookups

After converting XML to JSON, you might need to enrich the data by fetching additional information from other sources (databases, APIs).

Database Lookup: Use node-red-node-mysql, node-red-node-sqlite, or other database nodes to query a database using data from your parsed JSON (e.g., look up product details using an SKU).
API Calls: Use an http request node to call another REST API, passing part of your JSON as a query parameter or request body, and then merge the API response back into your message.

By combining the xml node with powerful transformation nodes, Node-RED becomes an incredibly versatile tool for handling complex data integration challenges, ensuring your xml to json node red flows deliver precisely the data your applications need. Free online assessment tools for recruitment

FAQ

What is the purpose of converting XML to JSON in Node-RED?

The purpose of converting XML to JSON in Node-RED is primarily to facilitate data integration with modern web services and applications. JSON is lighter, easier to parse in JavaScript environments, and is the preferred format for most RESTful APIs, making it simpler to consume, manipulate, and transfer data once converted.

How do I install the XML node in Node-RED?

To install the XML node in Node-RED, open your Node-RED editor, click the menu icon (hamburger) in the top-right corner, select “Manage palette,” go to the “Install” tab, search for node-red-node-xml, and click the “install” button.

Can Node-RED convert JSON back to XML?

Yes, the same xml node from the node-red-node-xml palette can convert JSON (JavaScript objects) back to XML. In its configuration, you simply set the “Action” property to “Always convert to an XML string.”

What happens to XML attributes when converted to JSON?

When XML attributes are converted to JSON using the xml node, they are typically grouped under a special key within the element’s object representation. By default, this key is _attr, but you can configure it using the attrkey option in the xml node settings.

How does the `compact` option affect XML to JSON conversion?

The compact option in the xml node controls the verbosity of the generated JSON. If compact is true, simple elements with only text content (no attributes or child elements) will have their text directly assigned as the property value (e.g., {"name": "John"}). If compact is false (default), the text content is placed under a dedicated _text key (e.g., {"name": {"_text": "John"}}), providing a more consistent structure, especially for elements that might sometimes have attributes. Online meeting schedule

What should I do if my XML is malformed and causes errors?

If your XML is malformed (e.g., missing closing tags, invalid characters, multiple root elements), the xml node will likely throw an error. First, try to validate your XML using an online XML validator. If you cannot fix the source XML, you can try setting the strict option to false in the xml node’s configuration, though this is not a guaranteed solution and fixing the source is always recommended.

How can I handle large XML files in Node-RED?

Handling very large XML files (hundreds of MBs to GBs) directly in Node-RED’s xml node can cause memory issues or block the event loop. For such cases, consider:

Increasing Node.js’s memory limit.
Implementing stream-based parsing using a custom function node and an external Node.js streaming XML parser library (more complex).
Offloading the parsing to an external microservice or dedicated script.

Where does the converted JSON output appear?

The converted JSON output, by default, replaces the msg.payload property. You can view this output in the Node-RED debug sidebar by connecting a debug node (configured to display msg.payload or “complete message object”) after your xml node.

Can I rename JSON keys after conversion?

Yes, you can easily rename JSON keys after conversion. The most common way to do this is using a change node, where you can set new properties based on existing ones and then delete the old ones. For more complex renaming or conditional logic, a function node is also suitable.

What is the `attrkey` and `charkey` for in the XML node?

attrkey defines the property name under which XML attributes are stored in the resulting JSON object (default: _attr). charkey defines the property name for the text content of an XML element (default: _text), especially when compact is false. Random bytes golang

Is Node-RED’s XML to JSON conversion suitable for production environments?

Yes, Node-RED’s XML to JSON conversion, particularly with the node-red-node-xml palette, is widely used in production environments for various integration tasks, especially for message sizes up to several megabytes. For extremely high-volume or very large file processing, resource allocation and flow design (e.g., offloading heavy parsing) need to be carefully considered.

How can I test my XML to JSON flow in Node-RED?

You can test your XML to JSON flow by using an inject node configured with your XML string payload. Connect this to the xml node and then to a debug node. Clicking the inject node’s button will trigger the flow and display the JSON output in the debug sidebar.

What are common alternatives to Node-RED for XML to JSON conversion?

Common alternatives for XML to JSON conversion include:

Programming Languages: Python (with xml.etree.ElementTree or lxml), Java (with JAXB, DOM, SAX), Node.js (with xml2js, fast-xml-parser).
Dedicated Integration Platforms: Apache Camel, MuleSoft, Microsoft BizTalk Server.
Online Converters: Various web-based tools that allow you to paste XML and get JSON output.

Can I transform XML namespaces during conversion?

The xml node will parse XML with namespaces, and the resulting JSON will include the namespace prefixes. If you need to remove or remap these prefixes, you would typically use a function node after the xml node to programmatically clean up the JSON object.

How do I handle multiple root elements in an XML string?

XML strictly requires a single root element. If your input string contains multiple root elements (e.g., <item>1</item><item>2</item>), it is not well-formed XML and the xml node will fail to parse it. You must wrap such fragments in a single parent element (e.g., <root><item>1</item><item>2</item></root>) before feeding it to the xml node. Random bytes python

What is the default output format for numbers and booleans from XML?

By default, the xml node treats all text content and attribute values as strings. If your XML contains numeric or boolean values, they will remain strings in the JSON output (e.g., "123", "true"). You will need to use a change node (using JSONata expressions) or a function node to explicitly convert these strings to their correct data types (number, boolean) if required by your downstream applications.

Can I specify which properties to convert or ignore?

The xml node converts the entire XML structure into a JSON object based on its parsing rules. It doesn’t offer direct configuration to selectively convert or ignore specific XML elements or attributes during the initial parsing. However, once the full JSON object is created, you can use change nodes or function nodes to filter, extract, or delete unwanted properties.

How does the `decode_entity` option work?

The decode_entity option, when enabled (default true), tells the xml node to decode XML entities like & (for &), < (for <), and > (for >) into their actual character representations in the resulting JSON string. This ensures that the text content is human-readable and correctly interpreted.

What are the main benefits of using Node-RED for XML to JSON conversion over coding?

The main benefits of using Node-RED for XML to JSON conversion over traditional coding include:

Visual Programming: Node-RED’s drag-and-drop interface significantly speeds up development and makes complex flows easier to understand and debug.
Rapid Prototyping: You can quickly build and test integration flows without writing extensive code.
Ease of Deployment: Flows are easily deployed and managed within the Node-RED environment.
Reduced Boilerplate Code: Pre-built nodes handle common tasks like parsing, HTTP requests, and debugging, reducing the need for custom code.
Accessibility: Non-programmers can often understand and even contribute to flow development.

Can I transform the JSON output from the XML node using JSONata?

Yes, absolutely! JSONata is a powerful query and transformation language integrated directly into Node-RED’s change nodes (and callable within function nodes). After the xml node generates the initial JSON, you can use a change node with a JSONata expression to deeply query, filter, map, and reshape the JSON output into any desired structure, making it incredibly flexible for advanced transformations. Word wrap css

Partners

Xml to json node red

Understanding XML to JSON Conversion in Node-RED

Why XML to JSON? The Practical Benefits

The `node-red-node-xml` Palette Explained

Step-by-Step Installation of the XML Node

Configuring the XML Node for Optimal Conversion

Practical XML to JSON Scenarios and Examples

Scenario 1: Simple XML with Attributes and Text

Scenario 2: XML with Multiple Child Elements of the Same Name

Scenario 3: Using `compact: true` for Simpler JSON

Handling Large XML Files and Performance Considerations

Debugging XML to JSON Conversion Issues

Advanced Transformations Post-XML to JSON Conversion

1. Data Renaming and Restructuring with `change` Node

2. Complex Logic and Iteration with `function` Node

3. Enriching Data with External Lookups

FAQ

What is the purpose of converting XML to JSON in Node-RED?

How do I install the XML node in Node-RED?

Can Node-RED convert JSON back to XML?

What happens to XML attributes when converted to JSON?

How does the `compact` option affect XML to JSON conversion?

What should I do if my XML is malformed and causes errors?

How can I handle large XML files in Node-RED?

Where does the converted JSON output appear?

Can I rename JSON keys after conversion?

What is the `attrkey` and `charkey` for in the XML node?

Is Node-RED’s XML to JSON conversion suitable for production environments?

How can I test my XML to JSON flow in Node-RED?

What are common alternatives to Node-RED for XML to JSON conversion?

Can I transform XML namespaces during conversion?

How do I handle multiple root elements in an XML string?

What is the default output format for numbers and booleans from XML?

Can I specify which properties to convert or ignore?

How does the `decode_entity` option work?

What are the main benefits of using Node-RED for XML to JSON conversion over coding?

Can I transform the JSON output from the XML node using JSONata?

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Xml to json node red

Understanding XML to JSON Conversion in Node-RED

Why XML to JSON? The Practical Benefits

The node-red-node-xml Palette Explained

Step-by-Step Installation of the XML Node

Configuring the XML Node for Optimal Conversion

Practical XML to JSON Scenarios and Examples

Scenario 1: Simple XML with Attributes and Text

Scenario 2: XML with Multiple Child Elements of the Same Name

Scenario 3: Using compact: true for Simpler JSON

Handling Large XML Files and Performance Considerations

Debugging XML to JSON Conversion Issues

Advanced Transformations Post-XML to JSON Conversion

1. Data Renaming and Restructuring with change Node

2. Complex Logic and Iteration with function Node

3. Enriching Data with External Lookups

FAQ

What is the purpose of converting XML to JSON in Node-RED?

How do I install the XML node in Node-RED?

Can Node-RED convert JSON back to XML?

What happens to XML attributes when converted to JSON?

How does the compact option affect XML to JSON conversion?

What should I do if my XML is malformed and causes errors?

How can I handle large XML files in Node-RED?

Where does the converted JSON output appear?

Can I rename JSON keys after conversion?

What is the attrkey and charkey for in the XML node?

Is Node-RED’s XML to JSON conversion suitable for production environments?

How can I test my XML to JSON flow in Node-RED?

What are common alternatives to Node-RED for XML to JSON conversion?

Can I transform XML namespaces during conversion?

How do I handle multiple root elements in an XML string?

What is the default output format for numbers and booleans from XML?

Can I specify which properties to convert or ignore?

How does the decode_entity option work?

What are the main benefits of using Node-RED for XML to JSON conversion over coding?

Can I transform the JSON output from the XML node using JSONata?

Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

The `node-red-node-xml` Palette Explained

Scenario 3: Using `compact: true` for Simpler JSON

1. Data Renaming and Restructuring with `change` Node

2. Complex Logic and Iteration with `function` Node

How does the `compact` option affect XML to JSON conversion?

What is the `attrkey` and `charkey` for in the XML node?

How does the `decode_entity` option work?