Overview: XML Project Import

Overview: XML Project Import

Microvellum offers the ability to import files to create projects, products, and parts. There are two different methods to accomplish this: 
  1. XML Import
  2. XLS Import

XML Import

A standardized XML file can be used to create projects, products, and parts and allow you to populate any information for a product and part such as product prompts or part machine tokens. The XML file is the only way to control specific information associated with parts, which allows for greater flexibility and control. If you are unfamiliar with XML file types, using the XLS file type can be much easier to understand and set up.

To import an XML file, select Toolbox Setup > Import File. 


Fig. 01 – Import File 

This will open the Import File window where you can select the XML file for import. 


Fig. 02 – Import File Window

  1. Select the XML file to be imported. 
  2. Selecting Append to Existing Project will add the information to an existing project as opposed to creating a completely new project. 
  3. The Projects to choose from for appending a file. 
  4. The Specification Group to be appended to. 

General XML Structure

The following Header and Root tag must be in an XML file you are trying to import. If it doesn’t exist, the file is invalid. The following figure is an example of the header information needed.


Fig. 03 – Example Header

We use the current library when importing products, and if a product name listed in the XML matches a Microvellum library product name, it is used, otherwise, it creates a new empty product. Capitalization is very important. If the tags do not match the casing, the elements are skipped. Throughout the entire XML file, we use the Pascal case. The examples, attached below, include all the elements that can be imported, so you have examples of each tag.
As of build 20.1.0925.641, an additional XML tag has been added: LinkIDWall. This tag is used to associate a product to a wall during import. The attachment "MVSampleXMLImport-Walls And Products" contains an example of this tag in action. 

If you are creating a new empty product, you can create parts that contain machining tokens.

A product's width, height, and depth must be defined within the product’s element and not within the prompt’s elements. The width, height, and depth elements must be numeric values and cannot be formulas. All other prompts can be imported if their value is a formula.
You cannot create a prompt from the XML. So, if a prompt doesn’t exist in the product, it is skipped.

Although there is a specification group element, we don’t create spec groups. If you do set up the specification group elements section with names that match what is in the library, you can use the <LinkIDSpecificationGroup> tag within the product section to set that specification group to that product.

XML Category

To have the ability to add a category tag to the XML project you are importing, you must have the Toolbox Build 22.1.0901.641 or newer.

 To specify the name of the category in which to place the new project you are importing, you must add a category tag to the XML file. An example of such a category tag may look like this. 


Fig. 04 – Category Tag

If a category already exists with the specific name used, then that category will adopt the imported project. If more than one category contains the name used, the first category retrieved will adopt the imported project. If no category exists with the name used in the tag, a new one will be created for the imported project.  

XLS Import

A standard Excel file can also be used to create a project. Successfully importing from an Excel file requires that the file contains specific tab names and information. The XLS Sample file can be used along with the accompanying help PDF file (Download Link Below) to either set up your own XLS file or modify the existing example to suit your needs. For more information, see Overview: XLS Project Import.



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