Batch convert TSV files to XML files

Shiji Pan

1 year ago

Want to batch convert TSV files to XML files?

Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop TSV to XML converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Batch convert TSV to XML, Easy and Fast.

Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
Convert files locally and privately, avoid uploading large TSV file(s) to online services.
Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Click “Start a New Convert” at task dialog.

then show the wizard.

Select From “Files” “TSV” To “Files” “XML”.

And config the first source TSV file.

List source TSV files.

After converting, you can view output XML files.

TSV → XML reference

Value kind	in TSV	in XML
Int	`1234`	`<int>1234</int>`
Bigint	`9007199254740993`	`<bigint>9007199254740993</bigint>`
Decimal	`1234.56`	`<decimal>1234.56</decimal>`
Float	`1.234e+10`	`<float>1.234e10</float>`
Text	`unquoted; a tab in the value splits the column`	`<char>text</char>`
Long text	`unquoted; newlines break the row`	`<text>multi-line text</text> (entities for & <)`
Date	`2026-09-18`	`<date>2026-09-18</date> (xs:date with an XSD)`
Datetime	`2026-09-18 14:30:00`	`<datetime>2026-09-18T14:30:00Z</datetime> (xs:dateTime)`
Binary	`not representable`	`<blob>base64...</blob> (xs:base64Binary)`
Boolean	`TRUE / FALSE`	`<bool>true</bool>`
JSON	`the whole JSON value as-is (its own quotes stay)`	`escaped inside an element, or its own sub-tree`

Both TSV and XML are file formats, so what differs below is how each one chooses to represent a value.

Property	in TSV	in XML
identifiers	`Rarely used, which is exactly why tabs in data break it`	`Attribute values in quotes; entities (& < >) for ...`
dates	`Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00`	`Text (xs:date / xs:dateTime when an XSD is in play)`
binary	`Not supported - must be encoded`	`base64Binary / hexBinary inside text`
separator	`Tab`	`Tags, not delimiters`
encoding	`No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM`	`Declared in the XML declaration`
typing	`None - every field is text`	`None in the markup itself`
shape	`Flat table, optional header row`	`Arbitrary tree`
ceiling	`No formal limit`	`Whole document is usually parsed into memory`

For batch jobs, large files and scheduling use the Data File Converter converter — an offline desktop app for Windows, Linux and macOS. Free trial.

New to the format? Read what a TSV file is (and how it differs from CSV).