XML to ASCII Table Converter

About XML to ASCII Table Converter

Convert XML data to beautifully formatted ASCII tables with customizable borders and alignment. Perfect for documentation, terminal output, README files, and text-based interfaces.

Key Features

• Multiple Border Styles: Single line, double line, rounded, and simple borders
• Text Alignment: Left, center, or right alignment for all cells
• Header Support: Optional header row with separator
• Auto-sizing: Automatically calculates optimal column widths
• Unicode Support: Beautiful box-drawing characters
• Smart Parsing: Extracts element names and data from XML
• File Download: Save as .txt file

How to Use

1. Input XML Data: Paste your XML data or upload an .xml file
2. Choose Border Style: Select from single, double, rounded, or simple borders
3. Set Alignment: Choose left, center, or right alignment
4. Configure Header: Toggle header row display
5. Copy or Download: Use the Copy or Download button to save your ASCII table

Border Styles

Single Line (┌─┐):

• Clean and professional appearance
• Uses Unicode box-drawing characters
• Perfect for modern terminals and documentation

Double Line (╔═╗):

• Bold and prominent borders
• Great for emphasis and headers
• Professional look for reports

Rounded (╭─╮):

• Soft, friendly appearance
• Modern design aesthetic
• Works well in UI mockups

Simple (+---):

• ASCII-only characters
• Maximum compatibility
• Works in any text environment

Example Conversion

XML Input:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<products>
  <product>
    <id>1</id>
    <name>Laptop</name>
    <price>999.99</price>
    <category>Electronics</category>
  </product>
  <product>
    <id>2</id>
    <name>Mouse</name>
    <price>24.99</price>
    <category>Accessories</category>
  </product>
</products>

ASCII Output (Single Line, Left Aligned):

┌────┬─────────┬────────┬─────────────┐
│id  │name     │price   │category     │
├────┼─────────┼────────┼─────────────┤
│1   │Laptop   │999.99  │Electronics  │
├────┼─────────┼────────┼─────────────┤
│2   │Mouse    │24.99   │Accessories  │
└────┴─────────┴────────┴─────────────┘

ASCII Output (Double Line, Center Aligned):

╔════╦═════════╦════════╦═════════════╗
║ id ║  name   ║ price  ║  category   ║
╠════╬═════════╬════════╬═════════════╣
║ 1  ║ Laptop  ║ 999.99 ║ Electronics ║
╠════╬═════════╬════════╬═════════════╣
║ 2  ║  Mouse  ║ 24.99  ║ Accessories ║
╚════╩═════════╩════════╩═════════════╝

Common Use Cases

• Documentation: Include formatted tables in README files and technical docs
• Terminal Output: Display XML data in command-line tools
• Code Comments: Add visual table representations in code
• Reports: Create text-based reports with formatted data
• Email: Send formatted tables in plain text emails
• Logging: Format log output with structured data
• ASCII Art: Create decorative text-based tables

Alignment Options

Left Alignment:

• Default alignment for text
• Easy to read for most content
• Best for names and descriptions

Center Alignment:

• Balanced visual appearance
• Good for headers and short values
• Creates symmetrical tables

Right Alignment:

• Perfect for numeric values
• Aligns decimal points naturally
• Professional look for financial data

Supported XML Structure

• Root Element: Container for all data rows
• Row Elements: Direct children of root element
• Column Elements: Child elements of each row
• Text Content: Data values extracted from element text

Technical Details

• Unicode Box Drawing: Uses Unicode characters (U+2500 to U+257F)
• Automatic Width Calculation: Determines optimal column widths
• Padding: Adds appropriate spacing for readability
• Monospace Font: Designed for monospace font display

Privacy & Security

All conversions happen locally in your browser. Your XML data is never uploaded to any server, ensuring complete privacy and security.

FAQ

• Q: Why does the output sometimes look misaligned in my editor?
  A: The table is designed for monospace fonts. If your editor or viewer uses a proportional font, columns may appear uneven. Switch to a monospace font (like Consolas or Courier New) for perfect alignment.
• Q: Can I safely copy the table into Markdown or README files?
  A: Yes. Most renderers preserve monospace alignment inside fenced code blocks. Wrap the table in triple backticks to keep spacing intact.
• Q: What happens if some XML rows have missing elements?
  A: Missing values are treated as empty strings. The column structure stays consistent so your ASCII table remains rectangular.
• Q: Are Unicode box-drawing characters supported everywhere?
  A: Modern terminals and editors generally support them, but very old environments may not. If you need maximum compatibility, use the Simple border style, which relies only on ASCII characters.
• Q: Can I adjust individual column widths?
  A: Column widths are computed automatically from the content. To narrow a column, shorten the underlying XML values or post-process the ASCII output manually.