Python: Convert an xml/html element as defined by dict/list/string into an xpath string?

Question

I want to define an xml element as a dictionary or string or list or whatever. This will be just a description of an xml element. It doesn't need to exist (that's why I don't use lxml or other libraries). For example having this

my_xml_element = {
                    "tag"       : "input",
                    "attribute" : ("value", "Login")
                 },

I want to get this

input[@value="Login"]

Does a module exist that can do that? I started doing my own implementation but want to be sure that I am not reinventing the wheel. Cheers!

Wait -- you're trying to generate an XPath string which will match only the specific document given as input? Why? What would the use of such a thing be? — Charles Duffy
– Charles Duffy, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 19:50
I want to generate an xpath string which will match an element, not a document. In the end I just want to create a priority list of xml elements to look for. I want to tell the program "first look for this type of xml element, then for this and then for that". — Pithikos
– Pithikos, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 21:17
The XPath language supports parameterization -- just as SQL does with bind variables. You might consider whether that's sufficient for your needs, particularly since there are accessors available to refer to elements' names as strings. — Charles Duffy
– Charles Duffy, Commented Sep 12, 2014 at 21:31

tdelaney · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-12 19:35:26Z

1

This is kinda what xml.etree.ElementTree is. Look at the Element() init routine:

def __init__(self, tag, attrib={}, **extra):
    attrib = attrib.copy()
    attrib.update(extra)
    self.tag = tag
    self.attrib = attrib
    self._children = []

A class is really just a dict wrapped with additional functionality. As your code matures, the dict will turn into a class, you'll add parent and clild references, implement a 'find' and finally.... end up with ElementTree.

answered Sep 12, 2014 at 19:35

tdelaney

77.9k6 gold badges91 silver badges129 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Pithikos Over a year ago

Thanks! However etree doesn't have some sort of function to produce an xpath, right? From what I'm aware it simply CAN take xpaths.

tdelaney Over a year ago

Okay, I think I got all of this backwards. So ... you don't want to define xml elements. You want to create some sort of an element selector scheme that you can use to generate the xpath that is then used against some document? I guess that'll work for simple stuff but if you start getting into complex xpath selectors... well, it could get "interesting" - and sorry, this answer aint it!

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Python: Convert an xml/html element as defined by dict/list/string into an xpath string?

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related