# XML/JSON Parser

An *XML/JSON Parser* reads and processes a single text stream of hierarchical data and give elements as parsed output in XML/JSON format.

### Sample Use-Case

In this case, we are using an [*Excel Workbook Source*](/dataflows/sources/excel-workbook-source.md).

![](/files/BDOdIYKNpxQfAUFa5Pl9)

The source file contains details of customers’ orders.

To preview data, right-click on the source object’s header and select *Preview Output* from the context menu.

![](/files/xPQKdGw7SYfj6Z014Qrv)

A *Data Preview* window will open, displaying the source data.

![](/files/cZI7N3Ncj8bdW0fxe9yi)

Observe that it is difficult to decipher fields and elements when the data is in a text stream. To make sense of this data, it needs to be structured in a proper format, with fields and collection regions clearly identified.

To parse this source data, we will use *XML/JSON Parser* in Astera.

#### Using XML/JSON Parser

1. To get the *XMl/JSON Parser* object, go to *Toolbox > Text Processors > Parser* and drag-and-drop the object onto the designer.

![](/files/RUGN7onOBsNG8ixEnzgV)

You can see that the dragged object contains a *Text* field.

2. Map the *Text* field in *Customer\_Orders* object to the *Text* field in the *XMLJSONParser* object.

![](/files/0wssuF7TlolI4fNRVAKP)

3. Right-click on the object’s header and select *Properties*.

![](/files/FtzHlGNtfFrelXJdLHgm)

A configuration window will open, as shown below.

![](/files/Ykztdc4SaZQlfuORXdUi)

4. Provide the XML schema path. Astera will parse the text file based on the structure defined in the schema file.

![](/files/rfOZiirpBRmxub2rInOY)

Click *Next*. This is the *Layout Builder* screen where the final layout of the incoming fields and the collection regions can be seen.

![](/files/97WoHVOzrFKPFxtp5OJs)

Click *OK*. The data stream is parsed into regions and fields which can be seen on the *XMLJSON Parser* object.

![](/files/U9lu1h073c15h3r8Mr5F)

5. Right-click on the object’s header and select *Preview Output* from the context menu.

![](/files/LY65m1YYT1nOMehn916R)

A *Data Preview* window will open. Expand the nodes, and you will see the parsed output for each record.

![](/files/3M77U4u8NSG8EfKNdI2Y)

To store this parsed output, write it to a destination file.

6. Right-click on the *Customer\_Orders* node under *XMLJSON Parser* object, go to *Write to > Database Table Destination*. A *Database Table Destination* object is added to the dataflow designer with all fields auto-mapped to it.

![](/files/LLx7RPl2nMMcm8E7Pp5x)

7. Configure settings for the [*Database Table Destination* ](/dataflows/destinations/database-table-destination.md)object.

Learn to configure settings for a *Database Table Destination* from [here](/dataflows/destinations/database-table-destination.md).

8. Click on the ***Start Dataflow*** button placed in the toolbar at the top to create the destination file.

![](/files/6mP449PgL1zq3OaJ3gpU)

A database table will be successfully created, with parsed output in XML format.


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