How do I format XML in Notepad++?

 

In Notepad++, you can format XML documents to make them more readable and organized using the built-in "XML Tools" plugin. If you haven't already, you need to install this plugin before you can use its formatting features. Here's how to format XML in Notepad++ using the "XML Tools" plugin:

1. Install XML Tools Plugin:

   • Open Notepad++.
   • Go to the "Plugins" menu.
   • Click on "Plugins Admin..."
   • Search for "XML Tools" in the available plugins list.
   • Check the box next to "XML Tools" and click the "Install" button.
   • Once the installation is complete, restart Notepad++.

2. Format XML:

   • Open the XML file you want to format.
   • Select the entire XML content you want to format.

3. Format Options:

   • Once the XML content is selected, go to the "Plugins" menu.
   • Navigate to "XML Tools" and choose "Pretty Print (XML only with line breaks)".

Here's an example XML content before and after formatting:

Before Formatting:

xml

<root><person><name>Alice</name><age>30</age></person><person><name>Bob</name><age>25</age></person></root>

After Formatting:

xml

<root>
    <person>
        <name>Alice</name>
        <age>30</age>
    </person>
    <person>
        <name>Bob</name>
        <age>25</age>
    </person>
</root>

As shown in the example, the XML content has been formatted with proper indentation and line breaks, making it much more readable.

Please note that the actual menu names and steps might slightly differ depending on the version of Notepad++ you're using. But the general process of installing the "XML Tools" plugin and using it to format XML documents remains the same.