> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/play-and-update-graphics/chapter-index-2/legacy-xml-controller.md).
# Legacy XML controller
**❗ IMPORTANT**\
This page documents the **legacy** XML controller (the Qt/C++ `CSVFileReaderHandler` registered as **General > XML** and **Sports > XML**, plus the related `XMLFileReaderHandler` for sports-XML control documents). It is retained so existing projects continue to open. For new projects, use [Tables](/play-and-update-graphics/chapter-index-1/tables-overview.md) — the unified Tables controller reads XML via **Browse** or **Open URL** in **Load New Data** and is the supported path forward. The legacy XML menu entry may be removed in a future release.
Captivate can display data from incoming XML feeds, such as Scoreboard OCR and other sources that write real-time data to XML files. This data can be assigned to design elements such as text and updated in real time.
## Add a legacy XML input
1. In Captivate’s playout interface, open a project (if one isn’t already open) and select a graphic in the Project List.
**💡 TIP**\
Open the Graphics Library panel and drag a graphic from the library to your channel. To customize variables, see [Create variables in graphics](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-4/create-variables-in-graphics.md).
2. Click the **Select a Datasource** cell in the Data Controller column and choose **General** > **XML** > **New Input** (or **Sports** > **XML** > **New Input** if a sports-graphic input list is open).
3. A dialog prompts you to either select an XML file from your computer or enter a URL hosting your XML data.
Enter the **URL** of the XML file on your local network or FTP location, or click **Select file** and pick the XML file.
**💡 TIP**\
**FTP syntax:** The URL form is `ftp://username:password@server.com/path/file.xml`. You can also use an IP address after `@` instead of a hostname.
4. The XML data and its variables appear in the **Link Data** sidebar in the **Preview** panel. Click **Link Data** to view the XML input and variables.
5. Click and drag an XML variable onto an object in the graphic. Repeat for each variable you want to include in the graphic.
**💡 TIP**\
To disconnect a variable, right-click it in the **Preview** panel and choose **Disconnect variable**.
The XML data is now visible in the graphic. Captivate updates the graphic as the underlying data changes.
## How Captivate reads XML
The legacy XML handler auto-flattens the document into a table by heuristic. There is no XPath, attribute selector, or `text()` selector — you cannot ask for a specific node by selector.
* Repeated elements are read as rows; an element’s children and attributes become columns.
* The parser defaults to **400 keys** maximum and a **max depth of 3**. Heavily nested documents (sports XML with deep schedule trees, league-wide rosters, multi-day stats) may not produce the columns you expect.
* For sports feeds that ship with a **control document** (a separate XML that maps title-variable placeholders to XPath-like expressions), use the **Sports > XML** menu entry — the dialog accepts both the control document and the live data file.
* If the generated columns are not what you want, reshape the feed upstream (export a flatter XML) or convert to CSV/XLSX and load through the modern Tables controller.
## Refresh behavior
How Captivate picks up new data depends on the source:
* **Local files** — Captivate watches the file via the OS file-change events and reloads automatically when the file is rewritten.
* **URL / FTP sources** — Captivate fetches once at load. Click the **Refresh** / **Reload** control in the input’s settings to pull a fresh copy, or use the input’s Auto Refresh interval if exposed for that source.
## Migration to the new Tables controller
If you maintain a project that currently uses **General > XML**, you can switch to [Tables: Row](/play-and-update-graphics/chapter-index-1/drive-a-graphic-with-tables-row.md) or **Tables: Block** without changing the source file: choose **Productivity > Tables: Row > New Input**, click **Browse** to pick the same XML file, and re-link the variables to your graphic. The Tables grid then exposes column sorting, header context menus, and Auto Refresh that the legacy handler does not.
The control-document workflow for sports XML feeds remains specific to the legacy **Sports > XML** path. If your project depends on a control document, keep the legacy input until product publishes a Tables-side equivalent.
## See also
* [Legacy data controllers](/play-and-update-graphics/chapter-index-2.md) — chapter overview
* [Tables](/play-and-update-graphics/chapter-index-1/tables-overview.md) — modern Tables controller
* [Legacy JSON controller](/play-and-update-graphics/chapter-index-2/legacy-json-controller.md) — sibling article for JSON feeds
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