Difference between revisions of "How to View an XML File"

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If you've never worked with XML before, simply looking at XML can be a bit intimidating - there's a lot of syntax there to read around.  Until you get used to the syntax, and even afterwards, it can be helpful to look at XML files in a program that provides some value-added display capabilities.  The commonly available options are:
 
If you've never worked with XML before, simply looking at XML can be a bit intimidating - there's a lot of syntax there to read around.  Until you get used to the syntax, and even afterwards, it can be helpful to look at XML files in a program that provides some value-added display capabilities.  The commonly available options are:
  
* '''XML-aware editors'''.  Editors like ''Eclipse'' and ''oXygen'', which support XML and schema markup and validation, can offer not only syntax highlighting, but also alternate view of the data - like document trees or expandable graphic layouts.
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* '''XML-aware editors'''.  Editors like ''Eclipse'' and ''oXygen'', which support XML and schema markup and validation, can offer not only syntax highlighting, but also alternate views of the content - like document trees or expandable graphic layouts.
  
 
* '''Editors with syntax highlighting'''.  If you have a favorite program editor that provides color syntax highlighting, there's a good chance the more recent updates will include options for XML highlighting.
 
* '''Editors with syntax highlighting'''.  If you have a favorite program editor that provides color syntax highlighting, there's a good chance the more recent updates will include options for XML highlighting.

Revision as of 19:43, 7 October 2013

If you've never worked with XML before, simply looking at XML can be a bit intimidating - there's a lot of syntax there to read around. Until you get used to the syntax, and even afterwards, it can be helpful to look at XML files in a program that provides some value-added display capabilities. The commonly available options are:

  • XML-aware editors. Editors like Eclipse and oXygen, which support XML and schema markup and validation, can offer not only syntax highlighting, but also alternate views of the content - like document trees or expandable graphic layouts.
  • Editors with syntax highlighting. If you have a favorite program editor that provides color syntax highlighting, there's a good chance the more recent updates will include options for XML highlighting.
  • Web Browsers. All the major web browsers (Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari) can display XML files with syntax highlighting and the option of collapsing/expanding code blocks. For Chrome, IE, and Firefox, all you have to do is open the file with the browser. For Safari, you might need to turn on the Development menu first - open your Preferences menu, select the Advanced tab, and check the Show Development Menu in the Menu Bar box.
If your browser or version doesn't seem to be doing the job (that is, you get a mostly blank page), try the "View Source" option of your browser.