r - Cannot run xmlParse() -

i trying read xml file using function xmlparse() on rstudio. have installed , loaded (globally) packages required this, namely xml , methods. here code:

setwd("~/desktop/r ") xmlparse(file = "input.xml") 

i set directory file input.xml located. information in file looks this:

<records>   <employee>     <id>1</id>     <name>rick</name>     <salary>623.3</salary>     <startdate>1/1/2012</startdate>     <dept>it</dept>   </employee>   <employee>     <id>2</id>     <name>dan</name>     <salary>515.2</salary>     <startdate>9/23/2013</startdate>     <dept>operations</dept>   </employee>   <employee>     <id>3</id>     <name>michelle</name>     <salary>611</salary>     <startdate>11/15/2014</startdate>     <dept>it</dept>   </employee>   <employee>     <id>4</id>     <name>ryan</name>     <salary>729</salary>     <startdate>5/11/2014</startdate>     <dept>hr</dept>   </employee>   <employee>     <id>5</id>     <name>gary</name>     <salary>843.25</salary>     <startdate>3/27/2015</startdate>     <dept>finance</dept>   </employee>   <employee>     <id>6</id>     <name>nina</name>     <salary>578</salary>     <startdate>5/21/2013</startdate>     <dept>it</dept>   </employee>   <employee>     <id>7</id>     <name>simon</name>     <salary>632.8</salary>     <startdate>7/30/2013</startdate>     <dept>operations</dept>   </employee>   <employee>     <id>8</id>     <name>guru</name>     <salary>722.5</salary>     <startdate>6/17/2014</startdate>     <dept>finance</dept>   </employee> </records> 

the ouput code supposed this:

1 rick 623.3 1/1/2012   2 dan 515.2 9/23/2013 operations   3 michelle 611 11/15/2014   4 ryan 729 5/11/2014 hr   5 gary 843.25 3/27/2015 finance   6 nina 578 5/21/2013   7 simon 632.8 7/30/2013 operations  howe  8 guru 722.5 6/17/2014 finance 

however, getting unprocessed data (like was). don't know do.

i have tried different ways of creating xml file. used ms word, python editor, textedit , mac notepad. pasted xml formatted text on each of these , saved extension .xml. don't know else do. guidance appreciated.