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XML Tools

Tools > XML Tools covers what the XML Tools plugin does for Notepad++, built in. Like the other text tools, the formatting commands work on the selection or on the whole document, as one undo step.

Formatting

CommandShortcutWhat it does
Pretty PrintCtrl+Alt+Shift+BIndents the XML, one element per line
Pretty Print, Attributes on New LinesThe same, with each attribute on a line of its own
LinearizeCtrl+Alt+Shift+LRemoves the indentation and line breaks between elements

Text inside elements, comments, CDATA sections and processing instructions is kept as it is.

Checking XML

  • Check Syntax (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M) checks that the document is well-formed: every tag closed, attributes quoted, one root element. A mistake is shown with its line and column, and the caret moves there.
  • Check Syntax When Saving runs that check each time you save an XML file, and warns you (the file is still saved). Also in Preferences under Files and Startup.

Validating against a schema

Validate checks the document against an XSD schema or a DTD:

  • the XSD named in the root element's xsi:schemaLocation or xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation, or
  • the DTD in the document's <!DOCTYPE>, or
  • the schema you last used for that file.

If there isn't one, or to use another, choose Validate Against… and pick the .xsd or .dtd file. Ettin Edit remembers your choice for that file.

Problems are listed in the results panel; click one to jump to its line. A valid document gets a short notice saying so.

Not supported: xs:key, xs:keyref and xs:unique, xs:redefine, and schemas that have to be downloaded from the internet (keep a copy next to your file instead).

XSL Transform

XSL Transform… asks for an XSLT 1.0 stylesheet and runs it over the document. The output opens in a new tab, coloured as HTML or XML when that's what it is. Messages from xsl:message are shown in a notice.

Not supported: xsl:import, xsl:include and the document() function.

XPath

XPath Panel (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E) opens a panel below the text. Type an XPath 1.0 expression and press Enter or Evaluate:

  • If the result is a set of nodes, each is listed; click one to jump to it in the text. Copy Results copies them all.
  • Otherwise the panel shows the value, such as a number from count(//item) or the text from string(//title).
  • Recent brings back earlier expressions.

Every XPath 1.0 function is available, plus ends-with(), lower-case() and upper-case() from XPath 2.0. Namespace prefixes declared in the document work in expressions, and a name without a prefix also matches elements in the default namespace, so //book finds <book> even in an XHTML or Atom file.

The current XPath

In an XML file the status bar shows where the caret is, such as /catalog/book[3]/title. Click it, or use Copy Current XPath (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+P), to copy it.

Escaping

  • Escape Special Characters turns <, >, &, " and ' into &lt;, &gt;, &amp;, &quot; and &apos;.
  • Unescape Special Characters turns them back.

Closing tags

Close Tags Automatically adds the closing tag as you type an opening one in XML and HTML. Empty HTML elements such as <br> and <img> don't get one.