XML Connector for UiPath

In this article you will learn how to integrate XML data in UiPath without coding in just a few clicks (live / bi-directional connection to XML). XML Connector can be used to extract and output XML data coming from REST API web service calls (Web URL) or direct XML String (variables or DB columns) or local XML files data. XML Connector also supports Path expression to extract data from any level. This Connector is optimized to work with very large XML string..

Using XML Connector you will be able to connect, read, and write data from within UiPath. Follow the steps below to see how we would accomplish that.

Download Documentation

Create ODBC Data Source (DSN) based on ZappySys XML Driver

Step-by-step instructions

To get data from XML using UiPath we first need to create a DSN (Data Source) which will access data from XML. We will later be able to read data using UiPath. Perform these steps:

  1. Install ZappySys ODBC PowerPack.

  2. Open ODBC Data Sources (x64):
    Open ODBC Data Source

  3. Create a User Data Source (User DSN) based on ZappySys XML Driver

    ZappySys XML Driver
    Create new User DSN for ZappySys XML Driver
    You should create a System DSN (instead of a User DSN) if the client application is launched under a Windows System Account, e.g. as a Windows Service. If the client application is 32-bit (x86) running with a System DSN, use ODBC Data Sources (32-bit) instead of the 64-bit version.
  4. Select Url or File and paste the following Url for this example OR you can load existing connection string as per this article.

    NOTE: Here for demo, We are using odata API, but you need to refer your own API documentation and based on that you need to use your own API URL and need to configure connection based on API Authentication type

  5. Now enter Path expression in Array Filter textbox to extract only specific part of XML file as below ($.feed.entry[*] will get content of entry attribute from XML document. Entry attribute is array of XML documents so we have to use [*] to indicate we want all records of that array)

    NOTE: Here, We are using our desired filter, but you need to select your desired filter based on your requirement.


    Click on Test Connection button to view whether the Test Connection is SUCCESSFUL or Not.

    $.feed.entry[*]
    ZappySys ODBC Driver - Configure XML Driver
  6. Once you configured a data source, you can preview data. Hit Preview tab, and use similar settings to preview data:
    ZappySys ODBC Driver - Preview XML Driver

  7. Click OK to finish creating the data source.

  8. That's it; we are done. In a few clicks we configured the call to XML API using ZappySys XML Connector.

Video instructions

In this video, ZappySys JSON Driver is used as an example. So when creating an ODBC data source, simply select ZappySys XML Driver instead.

Read XML data in UiPath Studio (workstation)

Here we will be reading XML data on your workstation. To accomplish that we will create and run UiPath process package locally. Later on, we'll explore how to publish the package to Orchestrator and run it remotely. For now, let's focus on working locally and get started!

  1. Open UiPath Studio.
  2. Before we really begin the work, make sure UiPath Studio is set as your profile (blue application icon).
  3. In case, it is set to UiPath StudioX, you can change it in UiPath StudioX Settings: Choosing UiPath Studio profile Simply select UiPath Studio option: Choosing UiPath Studio profile
  4. Start by creating a new project based on UiPath Process template: Creating new process in UiPath Studio to import ODBC data
  5. Add Run Query activity in Main Sequence box: Adding ODBC data source in UiPath Studio
  6. Click Configure Connection... button to create an ODBC connection: Configuring ODBC data source in UiPath in Run Query activity
  7. Continue by clicking Connection Wizard: Using connection wizard to setup ODBC source in UiPath Studio
  8. When the window opens, select ODBC-based driver, provider, and then choose ODBC data source:
    XmlDSN
    XmlDSN
    Choosing ODBC DSN in UiPath Studio connection wizard
    You can also select Use connection string option and use whole ODBC connection string instead. Obtain the connection string by pressing Copy Settings button in your data source configuration.
  9. Once you do that, it's time to configure a SQL query: Inputting SQL query for ODBC data source in UiPath Studio
    Make sure, you enclose the query in double quotes!
  10. Proceed by adding a Write CSV activity after Run Query: Adding Write CSV activity to write ODBC data in UiPath
    In this article we are using Write CSV, but you can freely add any other destination of your choice, e.g. Write DataTable to Excel.
  11. Once you do that, configure the added Write CSV, this will write XML data to a CSV file: Configuring Write CSV activity to write ODBC data in UiPath
  12. It's time for fun! Which means it's time for debugging! Just run the package locally to debug: Running UiPath process package to get ODBC data
  13. Finally, ensure there are no execution errors! Successful UiPath package debugging

Run UiPath package using Orchestrator (via robot)

UiPath also offers the ability to execute packages remotely using Orchestrator and a robot. This is achieved by publishing the package to UiPath Orchestrator, installing UiPath Assistant on the remote machine, connecting it to Orchestrator, enabling us to run the package remotely. It may sound complicated at first glance, but further steps will clear things out. Let's not waste our precious time and delve into the details!

Publish process package from UiPath Studio

  1. First of all, open the UiPath process package we created in the previous step
  2. Set the option that our process package Starts in Background: Marking UiPath process package to start in background
  3. We are ready to Publish it: Publishing UiPath process package to read ODBC data
  4. Make sure, you publish it to the Shared folder in UiPath Orchestrator Tenant workspace: Setting package publishing path in UiPath Studio
  5. Finally, success! We are ready for the next step - creating UiPath robot - so we can automate the job: Great news! The UiPath package is now published

Create robot in UiPath Orchestrator

  1. First of all, let's open UiPath Orchestrator from UiPath Automation Cloud console: Opening UiPath Orchestrator
  2. It's time to create a robot, which will run unattended packages: Creating unattended setup in UiPath Orchestrator
  3. But first we have to create a runtime. Choose to host our robot on-premise, not in UiPath infrastructure: Creating self-hosted robot in UiPath Orchestrator
  4. Let's move along and Create new machine template, this will create a machine in UiPath Orchestrator: Creating new machine template in UiPath Orchestrator
  5. Configure the machine to run in Production environment: Adding machine template in UiPath Orchestrator
  6. We are ready to Create new robot account in the new machine: Creating new robot account in UiPath Orchestrator
  7. Let's make our robot to work only on background automations: Configuring new robot account in UiPath Orchestrator
  8. Continue by selecting newly created robot: Selecting robot account in UiPath Orchestrator
  9. Select Shared folder, so that everyone in the team can benefit from it: Selecting folder for robot in UiPath Orchestrator
    This is the folder where we published our UiPath process package "MyProcess"
  10. We are almost done! We are given machine Client ID and Client secret which we will use to connect UiPath Assistant to our created machine in Orchestrator. Let's leave this open for a while and see how we can do it in the next step. Configuring machine template, Client ID, and Secret in UiPath Orchestrator

Connect UiPath Assistant to Orchestrator

We are ready to connect UiPath Assistant to the machine we created in Orchestrator. UiPath Assistant will run our package in a remote machine. Let's connect it and give it some work!

  1. Connect to a remote machine (where your UiPath process package will be running).
  2. Install UiPath Studio there.
  3. Then configure ODBC data source:

    If you chose Use user or system data source option in connection configuration, when creating UiPath process package, then create an identical ODBC data source on the same remote machine. Use the same configuration as the one created in your workstation in the first step.

    Use Copy Settings and Load Settings buttons to make your life easier. They will help you to transfer settings between different ODBC data sources.

    If you chose Use connection string option, then you don't have to do anything. However, you still have to install ODBC PowerPack on the remote machine.

  4. Continue by opening UiPath Assistant and going to Preferences: Configuring UiPath Assistant to read ODBC data
  5. Find Orchestrator Settings menu item and click it: Configuring Orchestrator settings in UiPath Assistant
  6. And here even bigger fun begins! But fear not, all you have to do is open your web browser window with Client ID & Client secret we obtained in the previous step and simply copy and paste those values into UiPath Assistant. Also, don't forget to configure Orchestrator URL: Configuring Client ID and Secret in UiPath Assistant
  7. Finally, we get rewarded for the hard work with the Connected as Unattended status: Successfully connecting UiPath Assistant to get ODBC data

Create and run UiPath process in Orchestrator

We are at the finish line! Let's create and run UiPath process. This will execute the package on your remote machine using the UiPath Assistant configured earlier.

  1. First of all, open UiPath Orchestrator from UiPath Automation Cloud console.
  2. Then proceed by going to Process in Shared folder: Going to Processes to create UiPath process
  3. Continue by simply clicking on Add process button: Creating UiPath process in UiPath Orchestrator
  4. Select the process package we created in UiPath Studio: Selecting UiPath package in UiPathp process
  5. Rest a while, and just hit Next, unless your package has requirements: Configuring UiPath package requirements (optional)
  6. Then simply hit Create button: Naming UiPath process and setting priority
  7. But let's not stop here and Start the process by creating a job right away: Finishing creating UiPath process to get XML Data
  8. Use the same Production runtime we created before and hit Start: Starting UiPath job
  9. We've reached the final step! In the CSV destination file or destination of your choice you should see XML data: Successfully running UiPath job

Configuring pagination in the XML Driver

ZappySys XML Driver equips users with powerful tools for seamless data extraction and management from REST APIs, leveraging advanced pagination methods for enhanced efficiency. These options are designed to handle various types of pagination structures commonly used in APIs. Below are the detailed descriptions of these options:

  1. Page-based Pagination: This method works by retrieving data in fixed-size pages from the Rest API. It allows you to specify the page size and navigate through the results by requesting different page numbers, ensuring that you can access all the data in a structured manner.

  2. Offset-based Pagination: With this approach, you can extract data by specifying the starting point or offset from which to begin retrieving data. It allows you to define the number of records to skip and fetch subsequent data accordingly, providing precise control over the data extraction process.

  3. Cursor-based Pagination: This technique involves using a cursor or a marker that points to a specific position in the dataset. It enables you to retrieve data starting from the position indicated by the cursor and proceed to subsequent segments, ensuring that you capture all the relevant information without missing any records.

  4. Token-based Pagination: In this method, a token serves as a unique identifier for a specific data segment. It allows you to access the next set of data by using the token provided in the response from the previous request. This ensures that you can systematically retrieve all the data segments without duplication or omission.

Utilizing these comprehensive pagination features in the ZappySys XML Driver facilitates efficient data management and extraction from REST APIs, optimizing the integration and analysis of extensive datasets.

For more detailed steps, please refer to this link: How to do REST API Pagination in SSIS / ODBC Drivers

Authentication

ZappySys offers various authentication methods to securely access data from various sources. These authentication methods include OAuth, Basic Authentication, Token-based Authentication, and more, allowing users to connect to a wide range of data sources securely.

ZappySys Authentication is a robust system that facilitates secure access to data from a diverse range of sources. It includes a variety of authentication methods tailored to meet the specific requirements of different data platforms and services. These authentication methods may involve:

  1. OAuth: ZappySys supports OAuth for authentication, which allows users to grant limited access to their data without revealing their credentials. It's commonly used for applications that require access to user account information.

  2. Basic Authentication: This method involves sending a username and password with every request. ZappySys allows users to securely access data using this traditional authentication approach.

  3. Token-based Authentication: ZappySys enables users to utilize tokens for authentication. This method involves exchanging a unique token with each request to authenticate the user's identity without revealing sensitive information.

By implementing these authentication methods, ZappySys ensures the secure and reliable retrieval of data from various sources, providing users with the necessary tools to access and integrate data securely and efficiently. For more comprehensive details on the authentication process, please refer to the official ZappySys documentation or reach out to their support team for further assistance.

For more details, please refer to this link: ZappySys Connections

Advanced topics

Create Custom Stored Procedure in ZappySys Driver

You can create procedures to encapsulate custom logic and then only pass handful parameters rather than long SQL to execute your API call.

Steps to create Custom Stored Procedure in ZappySys Driver. You can insert Placeholders anywhere inside Procedure Body. Read more about placeholders here

  1. Go to Custom Objects Tab and Click on Add button and Select Add Procedure:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Stored Procedure

  2. Enter the desired Procedure name and click on OK:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Stored Procedure Name

  3. Select the created Stored Procedure and write the your desired stored procedure and Save it and it will create the custom stored procedure in the ZappySys Driver:
    Here is an example stored procedure for ZappySys Driver. You can insert Placeholders anywhere inside Procedure Body. Read more about placeholders here

    CREATE PROCEDURE [usp_get_orders]
        @fromdate = '<<yyyy-MM-dd,FUN_TODAY>>'
     AS
        SELECT * FROM Orders where OrderDate >= '<@fromdate>';
    

    ZappySys Driver - Create Custom Stored Procedure

  4. That's it now go to Preview Tab and Execute your Stored Procedure using Exec Command. In this example it will extract the orders from the date 1996-01-01:

    Exec usp_get_orders '1996-01-01';

    ZappySys Driver - Execute Custom Stored Procedure

  5. Let's generate the SQL Server Query Code to make the API call using stored procedure. Go to Code Generator Tab, select language as SQL Server and click on Generate button the generate the code.
    As we already created the linked server for this Data Source, in that you just need to copy the Select Query and need to use the linked server name which we have apply on the place of [MY_API_SERVICE] placeholder.

    SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([MY_API_SERVICE], 'EXEC usp_get_orders @fromdate=''1996-07-30''')

    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

  6. Now go to SQL served and execute that query and it will make the API call using stored procedure and provide you the response.
    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

Create Custom Virtual Table in ZappySys Driver

ZappySys API Drivers support flexible Query language so you can override Default Properties you configured on Data Source such as URL, Body. This way you don't have to create multiple Data Sources if you like to read data from multiple EndPoints. However not every application support supplying custom SQL to driver so you can only select Table from list returned from driver.

If you're dealing with Microsoft Access and need to import data from an SQL query, it's important to note that Access doesn't allow direct import of SQL queries. Instead, you can create custom objects (Virtual Tables) to handle the import process.

Many applications like MS Access, Informatica Designer wont give you option to specify custom SQL when you import Objects. In such case Virtual Table is very useful. You can create many Virtual Tables on the same Data Source (e.g. If you have 50 URLs with slight variations you can create virtual tables with just URL as Parameter setting.

  1. Go to Custom Objects Tab and Click on Add button and Select Add Table:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Table

  2. Enter the desired Table name and click on OK:
    ZappySys Driver - Add Table Name

  3. And it will open the New Query Window Click on Cancel to close that window and go to Custom Objects Tab.

  4. Select the created table, Select Text Type AS SQL and write the your desired SQL Query and Save it and it will create the custom table in the ZappySys Driver:
    Here is an example SQL query for ZappySys Driver. You can insert Placeholders also. Read more about placeholders here

    SELECT
      "ShipCountry",
      "OrderID",
      "CustomerID",
      "EmployeeID",
      "OrderDate",
      "RequiredDate",
      "ShippedDate",
      "ShipVia",
      "Freight",
      "ShipName",
      "ShipAddress",
      "ShipCity",
      "ShipRegion",
      "ShipPostalCode"
    FROM "Orders"
    Where "ShipCountry"='USA'

    ZappySys Driver - Create Custom Table

  5. That's it now go to Preview Tab and Execute your custom virtual table query. In this example it will extract the orders for the USA Shipping Country only:

    SELECT * FROM "vt__usa_orders_only"

    ZappySys Driver - Execute Custom Virtual Table Query

  6. Let's generate the SQL Server Query Code to make the API call using stored procedure. Go to Code Generator Tab, select language as SQL Server and click on Generate button the generate the code.
    As we already created the linked server for this Data Source, in that you just need to copy the Select Query and need to use the linked server name which we have apply on the place of [MY_API_SERVICE] placeholder.

    SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY([MY_API_SERVICE], 'EXEC [usp_get_orders] ''1996-01-01''')

    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

  7. Now go to SQL served and execute that query and it will make the API call using stored procedure and provide you the response.
    ZappySys Driver - Generate SQL Server Query

Conclusion

In this article we discussed how to connect to XML in UiPath and integrate data without any coding. Click here to Download XML Connector for UiPath and try yourself see how easy it is. If you still have any question(s) then ask here or simply click on live chat icon below and ask our expert (see bottom-right corner of this page).

Download XML Connector for UiPath Documentation 

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