Convert multiple XMLs to JSON list

Question

I want to convert multiple XML files with the same XML attribute format to a JSON file using a PowerShell script. The idea is to create a JSON list with each item being the JSON representation of the XML file. Is it doable? An example of input and output:

Input:

File1.xml:

<File>
<Child1> First xml child 1</Child1>
<Child2>First xml child 2</Child2>
</File>

File2.xml:

<File>
<Child1> Second xml child 1</Child1>
<Child2>Second xml child 2</Child2>
</File>

Output:

[
  {
    File: [
      {Child1 : First xml child 1 },
      { Child2: First xml child 2}
    ]
  },
  {
    File: [
      {Child1 : Second xml child 1 },
      { Child2: Second xml child 2}
    ]
  }
]

"Is it doable?" Sure it is. But SO is not a place where other people write code for you. What have you tried so far (show your code), and what specific problem (in your code) do you need help with? — Ansgar Wiechers
– Ansgar Wiechers, Commented Mar 6, 2017 at 22:27

mklement0 · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-07 14:56:52Z

The following uses a helper function, ConvertFrom-Xml, to convert only very simple XML documents such as your sample documents to nested hashtables with ordered keys, which can then be converted to JSON with ConvertTo-Json:

# Helper function that converts a *simple* XML document to a nested hashtable
# with ordered keys.
function ConvertFrom-Xml {
  param([parameter(Mandatory, ValueFromPipeline)] [System.Xml.XmlNode] $node)
  process {
    if ($node.DocumentElement) { $node = $node.DocumentElement }
    $oht = [ordered] @{}
    $name = $node.Name
    if ($node.FirstChild -is [system.xml.xmltext]) {
      $oht.$name = $node.FirstChild.InnerText
    } else {
      $oht.$name = New-Object System.Collections.ArrayList 
      foreach ($child in $node.ChildNodes) {
        $null = $oht.$name.Add((ConvertFrom-Xml $child))
      }
    }
    $oht
  }
}

[xml[]] (Get-Content -Raw file[12].xml) | ConvertFrom-Xml | ConvertTo-Json -Depth 3

With your sample files, this yields:

[
    {
        "File":  [
                     {
                         "Child1":  " First xml child 1"
                     },
                     {
                         "Child2":  "First xml child 2"
                     }
                 ]
    },
    {
        "File":  [
                     {
                         "Child1":  " Second xml child 1"
                     },
                     {
                         "Child2":  "Second xml child 2"
                     }
                 ]
    }
]

js2010 · Accepted Answer · 2020-04-07 14:48:05Z

3

In Powershell 7, this works for me:

get-content file.xml

<node>
  <subnode attrib="this">hi</subnode>
</node>


[xml]$xml = get-content file.xml                             

[Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert]::SerializeXmlNode($xml)

{"node":{"subnode":{"@attrib":"this","#text":"hi"}}}

answered Apr 7, 2020 at 14:48

js2010

28.3k6 gold badges82 silver badges88 bronze badges

1 Comment

mklement0 Over a year ago

Definitely an alternative worth considering in general, though (by default) not available in Windows PowerShell (PowerShell versions up to v5.1); in the case at hand, it would create a different representation than requested in the question.

Rao · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-06 22:53:59Z

0

Write your own formatting top of this

// To convert an XML node contained in string xml into a JSON string   
XmlDocument doc = new XmlDocument();
doc.LoadXml(xml);
string jsonText = JsonConvert.SerializeXmlNode(doc);

answered Mar 6, 2017 at 22:53

Rao

194 bronze badges

4 Comments

abatishchev Over a year ago

or use the built-in JavaScriptSerializer to do not depend on external packages, in PowerShell it might become tricky

mklement0 Over a year ago

Alluringly simple. I'm not sure why the OP added the C# tag to their question, but from the question text it is clear that they want a PowerShell script. So, how do you turn this into a PowerShell script? What are the full type names, and are all types preinstalled, or do you need to download dependencies, ...?

js2010 Over a year ago

@mklement0 [Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert]::SerializeXmlNode($xml)

mklement0 Over a year ago

Thanks, @js2010. My comment was meant to encourage SGRao to update their answer to provide such information. Note that the NewtonSoft.Json assembly doesn't come with Windows PowerShell (it does with PowerShell [Core]). I encourage you to post your own answer that shows a full PowerShell example and background information about the assembly availability / how to get it.

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