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adding multiple child elements xml to existing xml or replace value if tag exists from excel

tnarladni
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I have an excel spreadsheet with 3 columns (featureclass, tag, summary). I want to update the metadata.xml file that corresponding to the featureclass. These xml files are embedded in a column in an sde table gdb_items. I'm able to extract the xml, but I don't know how to add xml elements. I have seen the xmlUpdater which works but only when that tag exists in the xml. Also, the "tag" field in the excel is a list of tags separated by commas. I need to create multiple <keyword> tags, one for each item. Here's my workspace so far.

shows the xml without the existing "summary" and "tag" <idPrup> <searchKeys> with child nodes <keyword>, respectively

shows xml with those nodes (lines 80 to 86)

Best answer by takashi

Hi @tnarladni, I think you can use the XMLUpdater in conjunction with an AttributeSplitter. This is a simplified example.

Source XML Document

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<metadata>
    <Esri />
    <dataIdInfo>
        <envirDesc />
        <dataExt />
        <dataExt />
        <dataChar />
    </dataIdInfo>
    <mdLang />
    <distInfo />
</metadata>
Values to Add
Summary: A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document
Tags: Centerline, Route, Series, PODS
Workflow

0684Q00000ArKytQAF.png

Result
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata>
	<Esri/>
	<dataIdInfo>
		<envirDesc/>
		<dataExt/>
		<dataExt/>
		<idPrup>A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document</idPrup>
		<searchKeys>
			<keyword>Centerline</keyword>
			<keyword>Route</keyword>
			<keyword>Series</keyword>
			<keyword>PODS</keyword>
		</searchKeys>
		<dataChar/>
	</dataIdInfo>
	<mdLang/>
	<distInfo/>
</metadata>
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16 replies

takashi
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  • takashiInfluencer
  • Best Answer
  • August 4, 2017

Hi @tnarladni, I think you can use the XMLUpdater in conjunction with an AttributeSplitter. This is a simplified example.

Source XML Document

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<metadata>
    <Esri />
    <dataIdInfo>
        <envirDesc />
        <dataExt />
        <dataExt />
        <dataChar />
    </dataIdInfo>
    <mdLang />
    <distInfo />
</metadata>
Values to Add
Summary: A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document
Tags: Centerline, Route, Series, PODS
Workflow

0684Q00000ArKytQAF.png

Result
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata>
	<Esri/>
	<dataIdInfo>
		<envirDesc/>
		<dataExt/>
		<dataExt/>
		<idPrup>A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document</idPrup>
		<searchKeys>
			<keyword>Centerline</keyword>
			<keyword>Route</keyword>
			<keyword>Series</keyword>
			<keyword>PODS</keyword>
		</searchKeys>
		<dataChar/>
	</dataIdInfo>
	<mdLang/>
	<distInfo/>
</metadata>
takashi
Influencer
  • takashiInfluencer
  • August 4, 2017
takashi wrote:

Hi @tnarladni, I think you can use the XMLUpdater in conjunction with an AttributeSplitter. This is a simplified example.

Source XML Document

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<metadata>
    <Esri />
    <dataIdInfo>
        <envirDesc />
        <dataExt />
        <dataExt />
        <dataChar />
    </dataIdInfo>
    <mdLang />
    <distInfo />
</metadata>
Values to Add
Summary: A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document
Tags: Centerline, Route, Series, PODS
Workflow

0684Q00000ArKytQAF.png

Result
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata>
	<Esri/>
	<dataIdInfo>
		<envirDesc/>
		<dataExt/>
		<dataExt/>
		<idPrup>A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document</idPrup>
		<searchKeys>
			<keyword>Centerline</keyword>
			<keyword>Route</keyword>
			<keyword>Series</keyword>
			<keyword>PODS</keyword>
		</searchKeys>
		<dataChar/>
	</dataIdInfo>
	<mdLang/>
	<distInfo/>
</metadata>
In addition, if you would use this XQuery expression to create the <searchKey>  element, the AttributeSplitter could be removed from the workflow.

 

<searchKeys>{
for $tag in fn:tokenize(fme:get-attribute("Tags"), '\s*,\s*')
return <keyword>{$tag}</keyword>
}</searchKeys>

 

takashi
Influencer
  • takashiInfluencer
  • August 4, 2017
takashi wrote:

Hi @tnarladni, I think you can use the XMLUpdater in conjunction with an AttributeSplitter. This is a simplified example.

Source XML Document

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<metadata>
    <Esri />
    <dataIdInfo>
        <envirDesc />
        <dataExt />
        <dataExt />
        <dataChar />
    </dataIdInfo>
    <mdLang />
    <distInfo />
</metadata>
Values to Add
Summary: A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document
Tags: Centerline, Route, Series, PODS
Workflow

0684Q00000ArKytQAF.png

Result
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<metadata>
	<Esri/>
	<dataIdInfo>
		<envirDesc/>
		<dataExt/>
		<dataExt/>
		<idPrup>A simplified example describing how to update a metadata XML document</idPrup>
		<searchKeys>
			<keyword>Centerline</keyword>
			<keyword>Route</keyword>
			<keyword>Series</keyword>
			<keyword>PODS</keyword>
		</searchKeys>
		<dataChar/>
	</dataIdInfo>
	<mdLang/>
	<distInfo/>
</metadata>

See also this workspace example: xmlupdater-insert-nodes-example.fmw (FME 2017.0.1.1)

deanatsafe
Safer
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  • deanatsafeSafer
  • Safer
  • August 4, 2017

Hi @tnarladni,

XMLUpdater is a good approach to use when updating existing XML documents. However, if you find the XQuery scripting a bit tricky to customize for your needs, the other option is a hybrid approach. Instead of the searchKeys{} loop, you could use an XMLTemplater to create an XML fragment of the searchKeys element with the keyword sub-elements. You will likely need to create a sub-template and feed it with one record for each sub element. Then use XMLUpdater to insert the searchKeys xml fragment. For more working with XMLTemplater see: https://knowledge.safe.com/articles/30940/xml-writing-with-xmltemplater.html

tnarladni
Enthusiast
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  • tnarladniEnthusiast
  • Author
  • Enthusiast
  • August 17, 2017

xml-update 

Thank you gentlemen @takashi and @DeanAtSafe for your help. I used both of the answers to get really close to the end result. I am still having trouble with checking whether the node exists before doing something to it. The xmlUpdater assumes the <idPurp> and <searhKeys> nodes do not exist. I have the xmlxQueryUpdater in here, but not sure if that's even the way to go. Here's my latest workspace. could you take a look and help me? Thanks!

tnarladni
Enthusiast
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  • tnarladniEnthusiast
  • Author
  • Enthusiast
  • August 17, 2017

Thank you gentlemen @takashi and @DeanAtSafe for your help. I used both of the answers to get really close to the end result. I am still having trouble with checking whether the node exists before doing something to it. The xmlUpdater assumes the <idPurp> and <searhKeys> nodes do not exist. I have the xmlxQueryUpdater in here, but not sure if that's even the way to go. Here's my latest workspace. could you take a look and help me? Thanks!

tnarladni
Enthusiast
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  • tnarladniEnthusiast
  • Author
  • Enthusiast
  • August 18, 2017
tnarladni wrote:

xml-update 

Thank you gentlemen @takashi and @DeanAtSafe for your help. I used both of the answers to get really close to the end result. I am still having trouble with checking whether the node exists before doing something to it. The xmlUpdater assumes the <idPurp> and <searhKeys> nodes do not exist. I have the xmlxQueryUpdater in here, but not sure if that's even the way to go. Here's my latest workspace. could you take a look and help me? Thanks!

@takashi and @DeanAtSafe, I updated my workspace and used tester to look for the <idPurp> text which is only used for the purpose I'm using it for (updating the summary of the dataset in its metadata). So I guess it would make sense to use this transformer? Let me know if you think I should use something else?

 

Also, I used XMLFormatter to make the xml pretty and it's adding the header <?xml version="1.0"...> to my xml. In the other XML transformers, there's an option to add the header or not, but not the XMLFormatter. Is there a way to remove that?

 

 

 

 

takashi
Influencer
  • takashiInfluencer
  • August 18, 2017
tnarladni wrote:

xml-update 

Thank you gentlemen @takashi and @DeanAtSafe for your help. I used both of the answers to get really close to the end result. I am still having trouble with checking whether the node exists before doing something to it. The xmlUpdater assumes the <idPurp> and <searhKeys> nodes do not exist. I have the xmlxQueryUpdater in here, but not sure if that's even the way to go. Here's my latest workspace. could you take a look and help me? Thanks! 

I'm not sure what the major issue. If you want to determine if the XML document "geodb_metadata_string" contains "//dataIdInfo/idPurp" element, a possible way is to use an XMLXQueryExtractor with this setting.

 

 

The "_result" attribute of the feature output from the XMLXQueryExtractor will have "true" if the element exists, otherwise "false".

 

 

XQuery Expression:

 

fn:exists(//dataIdInfo/idPurp)

 

0684Q00000ArMNEQA3.png

 

 

 

 

tnarladni
Enthusiast
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  • tnarladniEnthusiast
  • Author
  • Enthusiast
  • August 18, 2017
takashi wrote:
I'm not sure what the major issue. If you want to determine if the XML document "geodb_metadata_string" contains "//dataIdInfo/idPurp" element, a possible way is to use an XMLXQueryExtractor with this setting.

 

 

The "_result" attribute of the feature output from the XMLXQueryExtractor will have "true" if the element exists, otherwise "false".

 

 

XQuery Expression:

 

fn:exists(//dataIdInfo/idPurp)

 

0684Q00000ArMNEQA3.png

 

 

 

 

Thanks @takashi. I would like to use the xml transformers more so I will use that instead of the tester. Do you have a suggestion for the other issue I'm having? that XMLFormatter is adding the header node?

 

takashi
Influencer
  • takashiInfluencer
  • August 18, 2017
tnarladni wrote:

xml-update 

Thank you gentlemen @takashi and @DeanAtSafe for your help. I used both of the answers to get really close to the end result. I am still having trouble with checking whether the node exists before doing something to it. The xmlUpdater assumes the <idPurp> and <searhKeys> nodes do not exist. I have the xmlxQueryUpdater in here, but not sure if that's even the way to go. Here's my latest workspace. could you take a look and help me? Thanks!

What is other issue do you have?
deanatsafe
Safer
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  • deanatsafeSafer
  • Safer
  • August 18, 2017
tnarladni wrote:

xml-update 

Thank you gentlemen @takashi and @DeanAtSafe for your help. I used both of the answers to get really close to the end result. I am still having trouble with checking whether the node exists before doing something to it. The xmlUpdater assumes the <idPurp> and <searhKeys> nodes do not exist. I have the xmlxQueryUpdater in here, but not sure if that's even the way to go. Here's my latest workspace. could you take a look and help me? Thanks!

@tnarladni you can remove the XML header by using a StringReplacer to replace '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> with "". I understand your suggestion that it would make sense to have this as an option on the XMLFormatter to make this easier. I'll add an enhancement request to that effect.
stephstedman
Participant
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  • stephstedmanParticipant
  • Participant
  • January 15, 2020

@tnarladni are you able to reupload your 2nd update-metadata.fmw

 

I've got a similar query and wanted to look at what you'd done, but the link no longer appears to work

 

Thanks

tnarladni
Enthusiast
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  • tnarladniEnthusiast
  • Author
  • Enthusiast
  • January 15, 2020
stephstedman wrote:

@tnarladni are you able to reupload your 2nd update-metadata.fmw

 

I've got a similar query and wanted to look at what you'd done, but the link no longer appears to work

 

Thanks

Hey @stephstedman

Unfortunately, I'm not working for that company anymore, so I don't have access to that script. I'll reach out to an ex-colleague to see if she's able to upload it.

stephstedman
Participant
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  • stephstedmanParticipant
  • Participant
  • January 16, 2020
tnarladni wrote:

Hey @stephstedman

Unfortunately, I'm not working for that company anymore, so I don't have access to that script. I'll reach out to an ex-colleague to see if she's able to upload it.

Thanks very much

S
  • sdave
  • August 31, 2021
takashi wrote:

See also this workspace example: xmlupdater-insert-nodes-example.fmw (FME 2017.0.1.1)

Hi, I am also trying to insert sibling nodes to an xml attribute. Can you share the above mentioned fmw. Thx.

kailinatsafe
Safer
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takashi wrote:

See also this workspace example: xmlupdater-insert-nodes-example.fmw (FME 2017.0.1.1)

Hello @sdave​ , xmlupdater-insert-nodes-example.fmw should be available for download now. Best, Kailin.

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