Convert XML to CSV

Flatten repeating XML records into CSV rows, including values stored in attributes.

Sample input

This is testdata.xml, shipped with every bafi release:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<TOP_LEVEL description="employeeData">
  <DATA_LINE>
    <Employee ID="0021"></Employee>
    <Trans_Date>2021-05-21</Trans_Date>
    <val1>5</val1>
    <val2>12</val2>
    <Linked_Text VALUE="Magic Bus Company"></Linked_Text>
  </DATA_LINE>
  <DATA_LINE>
    <Employee ID="0023"></Employee>
    <Trans_Date>2021-05-23</Trans_Date>
    <val1>43</val1>
    <val2>9</val2>
    <Linked_Text VALUE="Baltimore Grand"></Linked_Text>
  </DATA_LINE>
</TOP_LEVEL>

Template

Employee,Date,val1,val2,SUM,LinkedText
{{- range mustArray .TOP_LEVEL.DATA_LINE}}
{{index .Employee "-ID"}},{{dateFormat .Trans_Date "2006-01-02" "02.01.2006"}},{{.val1}},{{.val2}},{{add .val1 .val2}},"{{index .Linked_Text "-VALUE"}}"
{{- end}}

bafi -i data.xml -t employees-csv.tmpl

Employee,Date,val1,val2,SUM,LinkedText
0021,21.05.2021,5,12,17,"Magic Bus Company"
0023,23.05.2021,43,9,52,"Baltimore Grand"
  • index .Employee "-ID" reads the ID attribute; attributes are prefixed with -, and keys with a - need index instead of a dot.
  • mustArray keeps the template working when the file contains only one DATA_LINE.
  • dateFormat converts dates using Go's reference layout (2006-01-02 means YYYY-MM-DD).
  • add converts the text values to numbers before adding.

Related: XML to JSON ยท JSON to CSV