> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.bindplane.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.bindplane.com/integrations/processors/convert-xml-attributes-to-elements.md).

# Convert XML Attributes To Elements

Turns each XML element's attributes into child elements, so attribute values survive a later XML parse that would otherwise drop them. The output is still an XML string.

### Supported Telemetry Types

| Logs | Metrics | Traces |
| ---- | ------- | ------ |
| ✓    | ✓       | ✓      |

Choose Telemetry Type picks one signal per processor instance. Add another instance to handle a second signal.

### Configuration

#### Basic Configuration

<figure><img src="/files/m4xrKneyIggecx15d8OU" alt="Bindplane docs - Convert XML Attributes To Elements - image 1"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

**When to apply**

| Parameter             | Type               | Required | Default   | Description                                                                                                          |
| --------------------- | ------------------ | -------- | --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Choose Telemetry Type | Telemetry Selector | Yes      | Logs      | The signal this instance runs on: Logs, Metrics, or Traces (one at a time).                                          |
| Condition             | OTTL Condition     | No       | *(empty)* | Convert only the records that match. A `not IsMap(body)` guard keeps it from re-running on an already-parsed record. |

**Source and target fields**

| Parameter         | Type                                    | Required | Default   | Description                                                                                                                          |
| ----------------- | --------------------------------------- | -------- | --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Source Field Type | Enum: Resource, Attribute, Body, Custom | Yes      | Attribute | Where the XML string is read from. **Body is logs-only.** Custom takes any OTTL path.                                                |
| Source Field      | OTTL Field                              | Yes \*   | —         | The field holding the XML. Bracket notation for nested fields. For a Body source, leave empty to use the whole body.                 |
| Target Field Type | Enum: Resource, Attribute, Body, Custom | Yes      | Attribute | Where the converted XML is written. **Body is logs-only.**                                                                           |
| Target Field      | OTTL Field                              | Yes \*   | —         | Destination for the converted XML. Point it at the source to convert in place. For a Body target, leave empty to use the whole body. |

\* The **Body** field type is the exception: it's optional, and leaving it empty targets the entire body.

**Body is available for Logs only.** For Metrics and Traces, the field type options are Resource, Attribute, and Custom.

### Examples

#### Preserve `Data Name` attributes before parsing Windows Event XML

<figure><img src="/files/qldAmWLsq7YHlw9YNZxc" alt="Bindplane docs - Convert XML Attributes To Elements - image 2"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### Configuration Tips

* Run this before **Parse Simplified XML** whenever attributes carry real values (Windows Event Log `<Data Name="...">` is the classic case). The simplified parser drops attributes, so promoting them first is what keeps the values.

### Troubleshooting

#### Attribute values disappear after parsing

Symptoms: fields that came from XML attributes are missing from the parsed map.

Solutions:

1. Place this processor before the parse step. Attributes only survive if they're promoted to elements first.
2. Confirm the source still holds an XML string at this point in the pipeline (not an already-parsed map).

### Standalone Processor

```yaml
apiVersion: bindplane.observiq.com/v1
kind: Processor
metadata:
  name: convert-xml-attributes
spec:
  type: xml_attributes_to_elements
  parameters:
    - name: telemetry_types
      value: Logs
    - name: log_condition
      value: not IsMap(body)
    - name: log_source_field_type
      value: Body
    - name: log_body_source_field
      value: ""
    - name: log_target_field_type
      value: Body
    - name: log_body_target_field
      value: ""
```

### Related Resources

* [ConvertAttributesToElementsXML — OTTL function reference](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-collector-contrib/blob/main/pkg/ottl/ottlfuncs/README.md#convertattributestoelementsxml)

### Bindplane Resources

These XML and slice processors are designed to work together. Chain them to normalize, parse, and reshape XML end to end:

* [Convert XML Text To Elements](/integrations/processors/convert-xml-text-to-elements.md)
* [Insert XML Elements](/integrations/processors/insert-xml-elements.md)
* [Parse Simplified XML](/integrations/processors/parse-simplified-xml.md)
* [Slice to Map](/integrations/processors/slice-to-map.md)
* [Get XML](/integrations/processors/get-xml.md)
* [Remove XML](/integrations/processors/remove-xml.md)


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.bindplane.com/integrations/processors/convert-xml-attributes-to-elements.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.