TSV to XML Converter

How to use the TSV to XML Converter

1. 1Paste your TSV into the box on the left, or press Try a sample to see how it works.
2. 2Check the options above the boxes; they only show the ones that matter for TSV to XML.
3. 3Read the XML output on the right. It updates as you type.
4. 4If an error appears, it names the line of the TSV that could not be read; fix it and the output returns.
5. 5Press Copy result, or Download to save a XML file.

Why people convert TSV to XML

The two formats suit different jobs. TSV is a plain table where a tab character splits the columns and each line is a row; people meet it in copy and paste from spreadsheets, bioinformatics files and database dumps. XML is a tag-based format where every value sits inside named opening and closing tags, with optional attributes; people meet it in older APIs, feeds, office documents and configuration files. A move from TSV to XML usually happens when data created in one place has to be used in another, and retyping it by hand would be slow and error-prone.

The first tab-separated line names the elements and each following line becomes one repeated element inside the root element. Rename the root element and the row element in the two boxes above the text, for example to library and book.

How the TSV to XML conversion works

The tool first reads your TSV into a plain structure of rows or objects, so it knows what is a key and what is a value. It then writes that structure again in the XML style. Because nothing is guessed about the content, the values you see in the XML are the ones that were in the TSV.

Reserved characters inside values, such as the ampersand and the angle brackets, are escaped automatically.

• Paste the TSV exactly as it is, including the header line if there is one.
• Use Try a sample to see how a small TSV turns into XML before using your own data.
• Read the XML before you use it; check that special characters came through as you expect.

Tips for a clean XML result

Start with tidy TSV: the same keys or columns in every record give the neatest XML. If your TSV has stray blank lines or an inconsistent number of items, tidy them first, or the XML will show empty values where something is missing.

Keep a copy of the original TSV. The conversion works well for data, but formatting such as colours, formulas and comments belongs to the program that made the file and does not travel into plain XML.

Quotation marks matter in TSV: a value that contains the separator, a quote or a line break is written inside quotes, and the converter reads those quotes correctly so a name like Smith, John stays in one cell.

On phone and computer

On a computer, paste with Ctrl+V or Cmd+V, check the XML and use Copy result. On a phone, long-press in the left box to paste, and use the Download button to save a XML file you can send from the share menu.

The two boxes sit side by side on a wide screen and one above the other on a narrow one, so you can read both without zooming. Wide tables with many columns are easier to check on a computer, but short lists work fine on a phone. Lay out the finished XML with XML Formatter, and read the same records as objects using JSON Formatter. Data Format Converter covers other targets, and CSV Tools helps you clean your table first.

Features

• Converts TSV to XML as you type
• Clear error messages that name the problem in the TSV
• Sample data to try first
• Copy result or download as a file
• Private: runs in your browser, nothing uploaded
• Works on phone and computer

Frequently asked questions