Dragging XML rows into indesign adds white space

Question

I have an xml file with a table containing several rows like this:

   <Row>
    <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Item</Data></Cell>
    <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Color</Data></Cell>
    <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Price</Data></Cell>
   </Row>

When I drag this example Row from the Structure pane into the document, a top row and leading spaces are added to the content:

I can manually remove the spaces, but when I relink the xml, they return. How can I make sure that these spaces are not being added, I would like to have the xml import like this:

Answer 1

Sample XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>

<data-set xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet">
    <Row>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Item 1</Data></Cell>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Color 1</Data></Cell>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Price 1</Data></Cell>
    </Row>
    <Row>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Item 2</Data></Cell>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Color 2</Data></Cell>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Price 2</Data></Cell>
    </Row>
    <Row>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Item 3</Data></Cell>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Color 3</Data></Cell>
        <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Price 3</Data></Cell>
    </Row>
</data-set>

Step 1

1. Create blank InDesign document.

2. Import the XML file: File > Import XML... and select the file we created above.

3. Deselect all options and click OK.

   

Step 2

1. Enable Structure pane by View > Structure > Show Structure.

   

2. Delete everything except the first Row object.

   

3. Drag the data-set object on to the document page.

   

Step 3

1. Highlight the text frame and open the Story Editor from Edit > Edit in Story Editor.

2. Edit the tags in the Story Editor exactly as you would like them to appear. In your example, the following seems to be right.

   

   

3. You might come back here later to add some required spacing. This is dependent on how you want your data presented or the design your are going for. If you want the data to fill tables, then use tabs between cell data so that you can easily convert later on.

Step 4

1. Re-import the XML file but this time change some settings.

   

Result

You should now have what you were looking for.