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Flat File-to-XML Mapper

If you have data in a flat, or fixed-width, file, you can use Stylus Studio®'s Fixed-Width-to-XML Document Wizard to convert that file to an XML document. Getting started is easy — just click File > Document Wizards on the Stylus Studio® menu, and then double-click the Fixed Width to XML icon.

After you specify the URL of the fixed-width file you want to convert, the Document Wizard helps you specify conversion settings for the XML, such as the source file's encoding format. The Fixed-Width-to-XML Document Wizard supports current ISO, UTF, and ACSII standards.

XML Document Defaults are Easy to Change

Stylus Studio® provides complete control over the root and row element names that will be created in the XML document.

You can easily change the intuitive default values, document and row, by simply typing the desired value in the editing fields.

Choose from Three Ways to Specify Column Names

When Stylus Studio® generates the XML document, it uses the column names you specify as either element or attribute names for rows in the generated document. You can specify column names in one of three ways — you can have Stylus Studio® generate column names automatically; column names can be specified in the source flat file; or you can specify the column names manually when you run the Document Wizard.

If you choose Generated, Stylus Studio® creates column names for you using an easily identified tag (<value1>, <value2>, and so on) for each column specified in the flat file. If the flat file you're converting to XML already contains column names, you can indicate that, as well. And if you choose to specify column names yourself (as shown in the preceding illustration), handy editing controls let you quickly reorder or delete any errantly entered values.

Map Flat File Values to Elements or Attributes

When you run the Fixed-Width-to-XML Document Wizard, you can specify whether the values in the flat file should be mapped to child elements, as shown in this illustration:

or as individual attributes, as shown here:

Save Document Wizard Changes as New Default Settings!

Once you modify Stylus Studio®'s default Document Wizard settings, you can save those settings as a new default. The next time you run the Fixed-Width-to-XML Document Wizard, there they are! This feature can be especially useful if you're converting a large number of flat files that share the same format and for which you want to generate the same type of XML document. Just click the Make Default button at the bottom of the Convert Fixed Width to XML dialog box.

If you change your mind, just click Reset Default to restore Stylus Studio®'s default settings.

Stylus Studio®'s Fixed-Width-to-XML Document Wizard lets you quickly and easily map flat files to XML documents.

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