How to Edit XML Files

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References

XML, which stands for Extensible Markup Language, is a markup language designed to carry data and text. While XML is similar to HTML, XML carries data instead of displaying it. HTML displays data. For this reason XML is sometimes considered hard to understand. However, XML is an important component of many websites, so understanding how to edit XML files can be to your advantage.

Steps

1
Purchase an XML editor. There are a number of XML editors available, including Liquid XML Editor.
2
Install your chosen XML editor on your computer.

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3
Restart your computer, if necessary.
4
Familiarize yourself with your XML editor's workspace.
5
Familiarize yourself with user resources associated with your XML editor, such as websites and online user forums.
6
Locate the XML file you wish to edit.
7
Open the file you wish to edit by double clicking the file name. The file will open and display the existing code.
8
Edit your XML file.
9
Review your editing.
- Be sure all XML elements have an opening and closing tag. Keep in mind that XML tags are case sensitive.
- Be sure your XML file contains one root element.
- Be sure the attribute values within your XML file are surrounded by quotation marks. Attributes are items within the XML code that provide further information about an element that is not available elsewhere in the data.
- Be sure all XML elements are properly nested.
10
Correct any errors you discover when reviewing your XML file.
11
Use your XML editor's validating tool to validate your XML file. Your XML document will not run if it contains errors.
12
Correct any errors identified during file validation.
13
Save your newly edited XML file.
14
View your XML file in a web browser. If your XML file is invalid, it will not display.