# Only strings and arrays are splittalbe for XML input into logstash

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/only-strings-and-arrays-are-splittalbe-for-xml-input-into-logstash/55428>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [July 13, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/only-strings-and-arrays-are-splittalbe-for-xml-input-into-logstash/55428 "2016-07-13T16:28:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![asoong-94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@asoong-94](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/asoong-94)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/only-strings-and-arrays-are-splittalbe-for-xml-input-into-logstash/55428/1 "2016-07-13T16:28:03Z")

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trying to read in a simple XML document, and outputting it after splitting. However I get an error message "only strings and arrays are splittable"

input {  
file {  
path =\> "H:\logstash\zipped\_folders\logstash-2.3.1\bin\data\xml\_to\_json"  
start\_position =\> "beginning"  
}  
}

filter {  
xml {  
source =\> "message"  
target =\> "parsed"  
}  
split {  
field =\> "[parsed][station]"  
add\_field =\> {

```
  id => "%{[parsed][station][id]}-%{[parsed][station][lastCommWithServer]}"
  stationName => "%{[parsed][station][name]}"
  lastCommWithServer => "%{[parsed][station][lastCommWithServer]}"
  lat => "%{[parsed][station][lat]}"
  long => "%{[parsed][station][long]}"
  numBikes => "%{[parsed][station][nbBikes]}"
  numEmptyDocks => "%{[parsed][station][nbEmptyDocks]}"
}

```

}  
}

output {  
file {  
codec =\> json  
path =\> "H:\logstash\logstash\_outputfiles\stack\_trace\_file1.json"  
}  
}

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![magnusbaeck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/magnusbaeck/32/44943_2.png) [@magnusbaeck](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/magnusbaeck)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2016, 4:44pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/only-strings-and-arrays-are-splittalbe-for-xml-input-into-logstash/55428/2 "2016-07-13T16:44:34Z")

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What does the event look like after the xml filter? Specifically, what does the `[parsed][station]` field that you're trying to split look like?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/only-strings-and-arrays-are-splittalbe-for-xml-input-into-logstash/55428/3 "2017-07-06T04:48:11Z")

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