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Parsing an XML file with xml.parsers.expat (Python recipe) by Mark Nenadov
ActiveState Code (http://code.activestate.com/recipes/65248/)

This is a reusable way to use "xml.parsers.expat" to parse an XML file. When re-using the "MyXML" class, all you need to define a new class, with "MyXML" as the parent. Once you have done that, all you have to do is overwrite the inherited XML handlers and you are ready to go.

Python, 29 lines
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import xml.parsers.expat, sys

class MyXML:
        Parser = ""

        # prepare for parsing

        def __init__(self, xml_file):
                assert(xml_file != "")
                self.Parser = xml.parsers.expat.ParserCreate()

                self.Parser.CharacterDataHandler = self.handleCharData
                self.Parser.StartElementHandler = self.handleStartElement
                self.Parser.EndElementHandler = self.handleEndElement

        # parse the XML file
  
        def parse(self):
                try:
                        self.Parser.ParseFile(open(xml_file, "r"))
                except:
                        print "ERROR: Can't open XML file!"
                        sys.exit(0)

         # will be overwritten w/ implementation specific methods

        def handleCharData(self, data): pass
        def handleStartElement(self, name, attrs): pass
        def handleEndElement(self, name): pass

I think this is a pretty good solution, it gives you a simple, consistant, and abstracted way to parse XML files.

Tags: xml

1 comment

Sebastian Hoehn 16 years, 4 months ago  # | flag

Forgot to store xml_file. Just an addition, after 6 years ;)

Just add self.xml_file = xml_file to the constructor and use self.xml_file in the parse function, otherwise you will not get the actual file!

Regards,

Sebastian