Batch convert XML files to TSV files

Shiji Pan

1 year ago

Want to batch convert XML files to TSV files?

Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop XML to TSV converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Batch convert XML to TSV, 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 XML 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” “XML” To “Files” “TSV”.

And config the first source XML file.

List source XML files.

After converting, you can view output TSV files.

XML → TSV reference

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

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

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

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).