Awkward XML file, is it possible?

Our backend office system provides a product XML feed in the following format for all products, items are placed in “pages” in side the system (pages = categories). I was thinking I will have to run a Taxonomy import on the <pages> element first to make sure any and all categories are created before running a second import which loads in the products. However, I’m not sure how to set up the import to make sure the relevant category and subcategory are created correctly. And then to import the product, it needs to know which sub category to place the product into and the only attribute given to identify the correct category is the “pages” number for each items element. Before anyone suggests it, I have no way of altering how this XML feed is structured, I’ve spoken to the supplier of our software and there is nothing they are willing to do as it would affect many other companies. I could do manual mapping for product categories, but that would require altering the map everytime new categories are created in our backend software. I was hoping to have all this done automatically. Has anyone come across this problem before? It’s an interesting one for sure! Any help gratefully received. Please see snippet from xml file below

<items>
<item code="WD-44110" group="WD" vat="1" pages="3" created="20201007180107" modified="20201007180115">
<description>CUTTING OIL</description>
<brief>CUTTING OIL</brief>
<prices>
<price nett="6.03" gross="7.24"/>
</prices>
<images>
<image id="1" url="https://mysite.com/item_460542813_886857.jpg" date="20201007" time="1801" size="66221" default="Y"/>
</images>
<item code="HT-03537" next="HT-54286" group="HT" vat="1" pages="25" created="20201008120117" modified="20201008120119">
<description>SPANNER,COMB 13MM</description>
<brief>SPANNER,COMB</brief>
<prices>
<price nett="9.87" gross="11.84"/>
</prices>
<images>
<image id="1" url="https://mysite.com/item_460542813_886921.jpg" date="20201008" time="1201" size="15073" default="Y"/>
</images>
</item>
<items>
<item code="03305" group="HT" vat="1" pages="27" created="20201008120117" modified="20201008180120">
<description>11/16&quot; AF COMBINATION SPANNER</description>
<prices>
<price nett="13.17" gross="15.80"/>
</prices>
<images>
<image id="1" url="https://mysite.com/item_460542813_887008.jpg" date="20201008" time="1801" size="20914" default="Y"/>
</images>
</item>
....
<pages>
<page code="1"><description>Lubricants</description></page>
<page code="3" parent="1"><description>WD40 Range</description></page>
<page code="4" parent="1"><description>Kent Industrial</description></page>
<page code="7"><description>Turney Oils</description></page>
<page code="36"><description>Paint</description></page>
<page code="37" parent="36"><description>Aerosol</description></page>
<page code="38" parent="36"><description>Can</description></page>
<page code="12"><description>LED Light Range</description></page>
<page code="13" parent="12"><description>Work Lights</description></page>
<page code="14" parent="12"><description>Flashing Beacons</description></page>
<page code="15" parent="12"><description>Rear Lights</description></page>
<page code="16" parent="12"><description>Accessories</description></page>
<page code="18"><description>Tools</description></page>
<page code="19" parent="18"><description>Spanners</description></page>
<page code="23" parent="19"><description>Metric</description></page>
<page code="25" parent="23"><description>Combination</description></page>
<page code="26" parent="23"><description>Ratchet</description></page>
<page code="24" parent="19"><description>A/F</description></page>
<page code="27" parent="24"><description>Combination</description></page>
<page code="29" parent="24"><description>Ratchet</description></page>
<page code="30" parent="18"><description>Screwdriver Sets</description></page>
<page code="31" parent="18"><description>Power Tools</description></page>
<page code="32" parent="18"><description>Padlocks</description></page>
<page code="39"><description>Clothing</description></page>
<page code="40" parent="39"><description>Hoggs</description></page>
<page code="42" parent="40"><description>Belts</description></page>
<page code="43" parent="40"><description>Waterproofs</description></page>
<page code="45" parent="40"><description>Jackets</description></page>
<page code="46" parent="40"><description>Shirts</description></page>
<page code="47" parent="40"><description>Trousers</description></page>
<page code="41" parent="39"><description>New Holland</description></page>
<page code="44" parent="41"><description>Boiler Suits</description></page>
<page code="6"><description>Toys & Models</description></page>
<page code="33" parent="6"><description>Bruder</description></page>
<page code="34" parent="6"><description>Universal Hobbies</description></page>
<page code="35" parent="6"><description>Roly</description></page>
<page code="9"><description>Cleaning Care</description></page>
<page code="10" parent="9"><description>AutoGlym</description></page>
<page code="11" parent="9"><description>Simoniz</description></page>
</pages>
<items>

• This topic was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by coatsy35.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Steven Stern (sterndata).