Expat XML Parser

[Garth Grimm]

I think Martin summed up your answer with the phrase "global variables".

Haven written primarily python scripts, I ran into the same issue as you a few weeks ago when I 
started doing some XML parsing.  I just had to (re)learn scoping issues with Python.

Garth

Richard Boardman wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I've only been using Python for about a week or so, having previously used
> Tcl for all my scripting needs. However, on the recommendation of a friend,
> I have forayed into the world of Python.
> 
> I am trying to use the Expat XML parser to extract some data for
> processing - sounds simple enough - although I am having great difficulty
> finding documentation for Expat and am consequently very stuck.
> 
> Here is the code I have; mostly gleaned from the one or two examples I
> managed for find for Expat. After taking out some of the extraneous bits, my
> problem reads thus:
> 
> # read in XML for processing
> 
> filetoread = "xyz.xml"
> sourcexml = open(filetoread, 'r')
> xmlpp = sourcexml.read()
> 
> def s_el(name, attrs):
>     print name, "(attributes -->", attrs, ")"
> def e_el(name):
>     print "   (attribute", name, "ends)"
> def c_data(data):
>     print "    `--->", data
> 
> prs = xml.parsers.expat.ParserCreate()
> prs.StartElementHandler = s_el
> prs.EndElementHandler = e_el
> prs.CharacterDataHandler = c_data
> prs.returns_unicode = 0
> prs.Parse(xmlpp)
> 
> # end
> 
> The problem major is that I can't seem to return any of these values at
> all - they will all print on the screen, but I can't actually *do* anything
> with these values. I don't think it's anything to do with Expat; more my
> lack of experience with this language. I can't find any documentation
> explaining how Expat works.
> 
> What I'd like to do is have something that works thus:
> 
> readInXML
> foreach element in XML
>     if element = "abcdefg" {
>         getCharacterData
>         doStuff with characterData
>     }
> 
> ... so in the following ...
> 
> <data set="1">1 2 3 4</data>
> 
> ... I could check the value is 'data', return the attribute identified as
> '1' and then return the block of data in, say, a list.
> 
> A few pointers/websites/ideas/pieces of code or whatever would be *greatly*
> appreciated.
> 
> Thanks very much in advance.
> 
> --
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Richard Boardman
> High Performance Computing Group
> Level 3 Zepler Building (59)
> University of Southampton
> Southampton
> SO17 1BJ
> 
> e-mail: rpb01r at ecs.soton.ac.uk
> 
> 
>