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sTToXML™ Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact us if you have a question or issue and you don't see a corresponding topic below.  We will find an answer or resolution for you.
 

A text- or database- input driver can be specified when converting a .CSV files to XML.  Each choice has advantages; however, most significantly, the database driver allows commas within the spreadsheet cells.  Click here to see the advantage matrix and other details.

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• Text file delimiters such as commas and double quotes are not allowed.

• Column names can be no greater than 64 characters in length.
• The base filename and the worksheet tab must be the same or the worksheet tab must be named "Sheet1".
• All values in columns of of mixed data types, strings and numeric, must be explicitly converted to all strings.

• XML documents must be valid i.e. follow the rules specified in the respective .DTD file.
• The respective .DTD must already registered in sTToXML

sTToXML allows XML information to be converted to either flat-file or relational table format. 

1.Start sTToXML.

2. Select the XML to CSV menu option.

3. Browse to an XML file source file.  This XML file's language must be the same as in the screen XML language field.

4. Select the Relational button for Export File Type

5. Click the Upload and Convert button.  sTToXML will then upload your XML file and convert it to a number of normalized tables.

6. Download each of the tables to your local hard-drive. The tables are ready to be imported into your favorite RDMS manager.  The tables will automatically include the foreign keys for building the relationships between the related entities contained in the XML source file. Click here for more details of the files created by the relational database export option.

New reusable templates are saved via the CSV to XML screen.  The screen includes a field where you may assign a name for your reusable template.  The reusable template is made up of the columns in the uploaded spreadsheet file.  You may save multiple templates for each element.  You may also setup custom field-mapping within sTToXML.  This will allow you to use the column headings from your legacy data during conversion to XML.

Your reusable templates are utilized in the create template function.  You have a choice of  using a DTD based dynamic template or recalling one of your saved reusable templates.

Single-column and double-column style attribute columns refers to the column layout used for element attribute information in sTToXML spreadsheet templates.

The single-column style attributes indicates the attribute name and value is included in the column header row.  Single-column style attributes are best suited for general usage and when attributes are used for annotation.  The single column style is easier to read visually and link to external data sources.  There is one spreadsheet column per element.

The double-column style attributes uses a separate spreadsheet column for each attribute in addtion to the normal data column.  The attribute name is in the column header and the attribute values are in the rows underneath.  Double-column style attributes are best suited for XML languages where data instead of annotations are contained in attributes i.e. the attribute values do not repeat and is specific to each record.  There are multiple spreadsheet columns for each element -- one column for the element data and one column for each attribute.

sTToXML automatically replaces characters which will affect the layout of the target .csv spreadsheet during conversion of a XML document to a .CSV spreadsheet.  This includes:

commas
linefeeds
double quotes

Some other popular but extended characters are also automatically replaced.  These include the copyright, registered trademark, and degree symbol among others.  These popular extended characters are replaced as they may not be displayed by some text editors.

Click here to see a list of all characters which are automatically replaced by sTToXML.

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sTToXML supports any number of "child" / "parent" type elements.  For example, you may use any number of store categories and at any depth for smbxml inventoryItem documents. 

The additional  element depth is created by inserting additional columns in the template .csv file.  Do note that care is needed when naming the new columns to keep intact the sTToXML logic which is included in the template.  See the examples below:

By design, sTToXML will not create any empty elements in its XML documents even if that element is required by the XML language's DTD specifications.  Stonehaven Technology's reasoning is preserving the safety of existing data in our users' computer systems.  The idea to prevent the scenario where existing data is accidentally overwritten by required but empty elements in an update XML document.

The safest method to update existing information is to:

- Convert the current XML information into a.csv spreadsheet.
- Make any desired data modifications in the spreadsheet. Leave all XML required columns in the spreadsheet.
- Convert the spreadsheet back into XML.

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You may certainly use the data in your spreadsheets for conversion into XML; however, the columns headings must be in the nomenclature, format, sequence as expected by sTToXML.   Essentially, you can replace your spreadsheet's column headers with the sTToXML expected headers and your data will convert easily to XML.

You may determine the sTToXML headers by:

1. Using the sTToXML Template function to create a spreadsheet template.  You can then use the header row from the template in your spreadsheets.  Please refer to this FAQ and your XML language documentation for assistance in interpreting the column names.

2. You may determine the header names complete with sample data in a single step.  Use sTToXML to convert an existing XML document into a CSV file.  Now you can easily see how the template column names correspond to the information in your data rows and columns.  A significant advantage is this spreadsheet will only contain the subset of columns that you are actually using in your application.

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1. Create a template using the sTToXML function.

2. Fill each row and column with sequential numbers e.g.

row 1: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7....
row 2: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8...
row 3: 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9...

(Do note the 1st column in a template spreadsheet is only as an element tag so sTToXML can identify the related XML element.)

3. Save the file and then convert it to XML using the sTToXML CSV to XML function.  You will now have an easy to read XML document which you can compare to the source spreadsheet.  [ed. I've found this makes an element XML reference sheet especially for the Netsuite functions I am not using.]

4. Convert the above XML document back into a spreadsheet using the sTToXML XML to CSV function.  You can quickly confirm that sTToXML was successful in moving information between a spreadsheet and an XML document.