---
name: "xmlif"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "xmlto"
version: "0.0.29-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xmlif"
---

# xmlif(1)

conditional processing instructions for XML

## NAME

xmlif - conditional processing instructions for XML

## SYNOPSIS

**xmlif** \[attrib=value...\]

## DESCRIPTION

xmlif filters XML according to conditionalizing markup. This can be useful for formatting one of several versions of an XML document depending on conditions passed to the command.

Attribute/value pairs from the command line are matched against the attributes associated with certain processing instructions in the document. The instructions are \<?xmlif if?\> and its inverse \<?xmlif if not?\>, \<?xmlif elif?\> and its inverse \<?xmlif elif not?\>, \<?xmlif else?\>, and \<?xmlif fi?\>.

Argument/value pairs given on the command line are checked against the value of corresponding attributes in the conditional processing instructions. An \`attribute match' happens if an attribute occurs in both the command-line arguments and the tag, and the values match. An \`attribute mismatch' happens if an attribute occurs in both the command-line arguments and the tag, but the values do not match.

Spans between \<?xmlif if?\> or \<?xmlif elif?\> and the next conditional processing instruction at the same nesting level are passed through unaltered if there is at least one attribute match and no attribute mismatch; spans between \<?xmlif if not?\> and \<?xmlif elif not?\> and the next conditional processing instruction are passed otherwise. Spans between \<?xmlif else?\> and the next conditional-processing tag are passed through only if no previous span at the same level has been passed through. \<?xmlif if?\> and \<?xmlif fi?\> (and their \`not' variants) change the current nesting level; \<?xmlif else?\> and \<?xmlif elif?\> do not.

All these processing instructions will be removed from the output produced. Aside from the conditionalization, all other input is passed through untouched; in particular, entity references are not resolved.

Value matching is by string equality, except that "\|" in an attribute value is interpreted as an alternation character. Thus, saying foo='red\|blue' on the command line enables conditions red and blue. Saying color='black\|white' in a tag matches command-line conditions color='black' and color='white'.

Here is an example:

```
Always issue this text.
<?xmlif if condition='html'?>
Issue this text if 'condition=html' is given on the command line.
<?xmlif elif condition='pdf|ps'?>
Issue this text if 'condition=pdf' or 'condition=ps'
is given on the command line.
<?xmlif else?>
Otherwise issue this text.
<?xmlif fi?>
Always issue this text.
```

## AUTHOR

**Eric S. Raymond** \<esr@snark.thyrsus.com\>

Author of xmlif program