"PC load letter?"

May 16, 2008 7:00 PM

[igiveupfilter] Trying to export my current wordpress-run blog onto a new wordpress-run blog. I keep getting an XML error that says "XML document must have a top level element. Error processing resource 'file:///C:/Users/damnjezebel/Desktop/wordpress.2008-05-16.xml". I've tried this link which helped me the last time I moved my blog, but that's not working this time. I've tried changing permissions as well and no luck. please help me import my old blog before i pull all of my damn hair out!
posted by damnjezebel to computers & internet (8 comments total)

I'm not sure if there's anything secure in there but I'd have to see the XML file.
posted by bitdamaged at 7:49 PM on May 16

I can forward it to you if you like, bitdamaged.

- I just checked the source for the XML file and there's nothing in it. Like, not even a slash or a dot.
posted by damnjezebel at 7:54 PM on May 16

I had this problem too. For me it turned out that the export was failing midway through due to reserved chars being in the body of my post that were being interpreted as part of the XML, thus creating an invalid file. I removed that and everything worked out.
posted by kaydo at 8:00 PM on May 16

Wait, just went back and looked at my problem notes. I knew that those chars were the cause, but i could never get rid of them all. I went down the mySQL route - is that an option for you?

Here's a complete self link to what I did.

Hope this helps
posted by kaydo at 8:05 PM on May 16

I found that Wordpress silently gave up exporting content after a bit, and failed to produce a well-formed export file. This will not import into a new blog.
posted by scruss at 8:43 PM on May 16

I've had similiar issues, with phpList actually, trying to import an xls of emails.

the main culprit seemed to be "#" which people had used for apt. numbers. I know it's not the same situation, but you never know...
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:49 PM on May 16

Your export is bad then, yeah? Re export?
posted by beerbajay at 2:30 AM on May 17

beerbajay - Every time I retry to export it, i get the same file. Empty - and I get the same XML error.
posted by damnjezebel at 8:01 AM on May 17