[Tutor] python, xml, mongodb

[Ismar Sehic]

hello, me again - the guy with a (mis)fortune of having to deal with a lot
of company's in and outgoing xml.I guess they just like xml as a data
interchange format, its human readable.i've done my task of exporting the
entire postgresql database to some prestructured xml, and i guess i've done
the job so well, they want me to develop something like an web service,
that will be receiving all kinds of hotel related data, no matter what
format(csv, xml, txt, maybe even dBase or whatever)from various clients.my
service should be parsing the received data in the prestructed xml format,
store everything in one xml file per client, then send to some other
service.i really love programming in python and struggling my way through
streams of data(i don't like the fact that i'm working in a tourism related
company, where clients dictate the terms, but i hope i will change my job
some day...)
i need some help in the idea of the  architecture itself, i'm still a
novice in python(started 8 months ago), although i manage to do some nice
work, i guess i'm stubborn...
so - on the input part ---> i'm receiving a lot of data in various formats,
that needs to be validated and parsed in a way i can use it to populate my
predefined xml elements.i really dunno what format to expect, no details on
that, i just know that 'whatever' i receive will be containing some
essential data like hotel id's, occupancies, room details(seaview, room
service, prices etc...)is there some way to write a unique parser, that
will load a file and look for some pattern of data, then grab it?i will
really aprecciate any ideas on that input parsing part.
next little problem - what type of database should i use to store the data
in.i would prefer something where i  can set the default template and then
just pass the parsed data to it, so my output xml is already half-way
formed(for example, i set a column name like Hotel_name, pass all the hotel
names to it, hotel_id - where i just pass all the id's etc) so i can just
export it and i have my xml that matches the company's template.
i know it's unusual to ask for an idea how to approach a problem - but my
project manager and head of the company aren't of much use, they are
interested only in clients and financial gain, not really helpful.so they
pass me a problem and i have to find the best way to do it.it's my first
job, i cannot change any of the terms, i can just go along, or refuse to do
it - meaning i'm losing the job.so basically you guys are the best help i
can get.
so please, give me some ideas, or point me in the right direction.i have
like three weeks to complete this.
i'll understand if all this is too much to ask, no problem.
anyway, thanks :)
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