lower thirds from xml file

Why not just make a lower third with one of the text generators and save as a favorite effect?

Has to be easier than trying to understand how an XML file, opened in a text editor converts hex values into plain text....or am I completely on the wrong track here?

Title 3D won't work ... its a proprietary plugin which does not provide access to its text settings within FCP (notice how you have to launch a custom interface to enter text?) and as such you won't have access to that info from an XML file.

If you need to create something that works in the fashion you suggest then use one of Apple's own FxScript based Text Generators or a third party FxScript based Text Generator ... or create one of your own.

It would be relatively easy then for example to parse a text file or similar and generate an XML for import into FCP that would produce a bin of pre-made lower thirds ready to be dropped into your edit

That's what I wanted to post, first time round.
I think....

Any text editor will work. I like TextWrangler, it is good and free.