how to edit XML files in batch / python

Question

I'm trying to edit `xml` files in a batch / python script

this is my xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<task name="analyse">
   <taskInfo taskId="21a09311-ade3-4e9a-af21-d13be8b7ba45" runAt="2015-05-20 13:48:50" runTime="5 minutes, 53 seconds">
      <project name="13955 - HMI Volvo Truck PA15" number="e20d51c0-71dc-4572-8f9b-4c150bf35222" />
      <language lcid="1031" name="German (Germany)" />
      <tm name="ENG-DEU_en-GB_de-DE.sdltm" />
      <settings reportInternalFuzzyLeverage="yes" reportLockedSegments="no" reportCrossFileRepetitions="yes" minimumMatchScore="70" searchMode="bestWins" missingFormattingPenalty="1" differentFormattingPenalty="1" multipleTranslationsPenalty="1" autoLocalizationPenalty="0" textReplacementPenalty="0" />
   </taskInfo>
   <file name="VT MAIN TRACK_PA15_Default_DE-DE_20150520_102527.xlf.sdlxliff" guid="111f9ba6-82f6-45fb-ac49-8bf6cf57c169">
      <analyse>
         <perfect segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         <inContextExact segments="60" words="55" characters="755" placeables="3" tags="0" />
         ' Replace the Value word="55" with "0"
         <exact segments="114" words="334" characters="1687" placeables="14" tags="3" />
         <locked segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         <crossFileRepeated segments="2" words="20" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         'Cut the value words="20" replace with 0
         <repeated segments="17" words="34" characters="293" placeables="2" tags="0" />
         'add the value to current value 20 to 34  so the new value is words="54"
         <total segments="449" words="1462" characters="7630" placeables="66" tags="24" />
         <new segments="126" words="434" characters="2384" placeables="18" tags="5" />
         <fuzzy min="75" max="84" segments="25" words="108" characters="528" placeables="6" tags="3" />
         <fuzzy min="85" max="94" segments="23" words="92" characters="454" placeables="7" tags="4" />
         <fuzzy min="95" max="99" segments="77" words="260" characters="1318" placeables="13" tags="6" />
         <internalFuzzy min="75" max="84" segments="3" words="16" characters="100" placeables="2" tags="2" />
         <internalFuzzy min="85" max="94" segments="4" words="25" characters="111" placeables="1" tags="1" />
         <internalFuzzy min="95" max="99" segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
      </analyse>
   </file>
   <file name="VT MAIN TRACK_PA15_Default_DE-DE_20150523_254796.xlf.sdlxliff" guid="111f9ba6-82f6-45fb-ac49-8bf6cf57c169">
      <analyse>
         <perfect segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         <inContextExact segments="60" words="67" characters="755" placeables="3" tags="0" />
         ' Replace the Value word="67" with "0"
         <exact segments="114" words="334" characters="1687" placeables="14" tags="3" />
         <locked segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         <crossFileRepeated segments="2" words="35" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         'Cut the value words="35" replace with 0
         <repeated segments="17" words="54" characters="293" placeables="2" tags="0" />
         'add the value to current value 35 to 54  so the new value is words="89"
         <total segments="449" words="1462" characters="7630" placeables="66" tags="24" />
         <new segments="126" words="434" characters="2384" placeables="18" tags="5" />
         <fuzzy min="75" max="84" segments="25" words="108" characters="528" placeables="6" tags="3" />
         <fuzzy min="85" max="94" segments="23" words="92" characters="454" placeables="7" tags="4" />
         <fuzzy min="95" max="99" segments="77" words="260" characters="1318" placeables="13" tags="6" />
         <internalFuzzy min="75" max="84" segments="3" words="16" characters="100" placeables="2" tags="2" />
         <internalFuzzy min="85" max="94" segments="4" words="25" characters="111" placeables="1" tags="1" />
         <internalFuzzy min="95" max="99" segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
      </analyse>
   </file>
   <batchTotal>
      <analyse>
         <perfect segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         <inContextExact segments="60" words="139" characters="755" placeables="3" tags="0" />
         <exact segments="114" words="334" characters="1687" placeables="14" tags="3" />
         <locked segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         <crossFileRepeated segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
         <repeated segments="17" words="54" characters="293" placeables="2" tags="0" />
         <total segments="449" words="1462" characters="7630" placeables="66" tags="24" />
         <new segments="126" words="434" characters="2384" placeables="18" tags="5" />
         <fuzzy min="75" max="84" segments="25" words="108" characters="528" placeables="6" tags="3" />
         <fuzzy min="85" max="94" segments="23" words="92" characters="454" placeables="7" tags="4" />
         <fuzzy min="95" max="99" segments="77" words="260" characters="1318" placeables="13" tags="6" />
         <internalFuzzy min="75" max="84" segments="3" words="16" characters="100" placeables="2" tags="2" />
         <internalFuzzy min="85" max="94" segments="4" words="25" characters="111" placeables="1" tags="1" />
         <internalFuzzy min="95" max="99" segments="0" words="0" characters="0" placeables="0" tags="0" />
      </analyse>
   </batchTotal>
</task>

general notes:

the <task> is the root element (end element </task>)
the important here is to modify a few tags in a section called file <file> and endtag </file>
there can be X occurrences of <file>*</file>

What i need,

for each <file> element, i would like to:

In <inContextExact>, Set the value of the attribute words with 0

<inContextExact ... words="55" ... /> => <inContextExact ... words="0" ... />
In <crossFileRepeated>, Set the value of the attribute words with 0

<crossFileRepeated ... words="20" ... /> => <crossFileRepeated ... words="0" ... />
In <total>, Set the value of the words attribute to be calculated by my own logic

<total ... words="1462" ... /> => <total ... words="??" ... />

I could really appreciate an example of processing XML files in batch / python

Have you tried searching the web? I'm sure you'll find lots of examples. — ChipsLetten
– ChipsLetten, Commented May 29, 2015 at 10:50
Write a program which does what you want. If you fail, come back and tell us about what you did and what does not work. — helb
– helb, Commented May 29, 2015 at 11:16
@DanielElmnas, saw you tagged this question python. is python solution is acceptable? — Jossef Harush Kadouri
– Jossef Harush Kadouri, Commented May 29, 2015 at 11:34

Community · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-20 09:12:55Z

1

Let's utilize python!

it's extremely easy to do that in python. and since you said it's ok to make a solution in python, check the script below.

here's how you can iterate over a directory contains xml files and process them as requested in python while saving the file changes.

from xml.etree import ElementTree
import os

def edit_xml_file(data):
    e = ElementTree.fromstring(data)

    for file_element in e.findall('file'):

        analyse_element = file_element.find('analyse')

        in_context_exact_element = analyse_element.find('inContextExact')
        in_context_exact_words = int(in_context_exact_element.get('words'))
        in_context_exact_element.set('words', '0')

        cross_file_repeated_element = analyse_element.find('crossFileRepeated')
        cross_file_repeated_words = int(cross_file_repeated_element.get('words'))
        cross_file_repeated_element.set('words', '0')

        total_element = analyse_element.find('total')
        total_element.set('words', str(in_context_exact_words + cross_file_repeated_words))

    xmlstr = ElementTree.tostring(e)
    return xmlstr


def main():

    source_directory = 'xmlfiles'

    for filename in os.listdir(source_directory):

        if not filename.endswith('.xml'):
            continue

        xml_file_path = os.path.join(source_directory, filename)
        with open(xml_file_path, 'r+b') as f:
            data = f.read()
            fixed_data = edit_xml_file(data)
            f.seek(0)
            f.write(fixed_data)
            f.truncate()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

in this solution, iv'e used the built in ElementTree utility

edited Jun 20, 2020 at 9:12

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered May 29, 2015 at 12:18

Jossef Harush Kadouri

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9 Comments

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

Haha awesome, how do I use the python script? xD

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

The script says cannot find any XMLfiles, I installed python run cmd, navigate to C:/python34/test.py also I have got xml files in the same location

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

I get C:\Python34>lol.py File "C:\Python34\lol.py", line 28 source_directory ="C:\test" ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax C:\Python34> I also tried "C:\test*.xls" and "C:\test\"

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

I need at least +20 rep to be able to talk in the room.

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

I still can't talk to you? Hmm strange.. I'll try to relogon

|

AnalystCave.com · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-29 11:43:05Z

0

Necessary tools

Here are the necessary tools you will need to create a script in Excel VBA or VBscript:

Looping text files in a directory: link

Reading text files: link

Writing text files: link

Replacing using RegExp: link

Example Regex to get you going:

<exact segments="114" words="334" characters="1687" placeables="14" tags="3" />
->
<exact segments="114" words="0" characters="1687" placeables="14" tags="3" />

Use this regex: (words="[0-9]+?") or words="([0-9]+?)" even better

Below an example of processing a single row:

Dim re as RegExp
set re = new RegExp
re.Pattern = "words="([0-9]+?)"
newTextRow = re.Replace(textRow, 0) 'Replace word value with 0

The approach

Loop through your XML files using the Dir function
Read the contents of the file using the link above on how to read text files in VBA
Loop through all rows and use the RegExp function to replace the necessary word params
Save the output back to the XML file using the link above on how to write text files in VBA

edited May 29, 2015 at 11:43

answered May 29, 2015 at 11:12

AnalystCave.com

5,1242 gold badges25 silver badges31 bronze badges

5 Comments

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

hmm I dont really get it what to do with it?

AnalystCave.com Over a year ago

Just create a VBA/VBscript and follow the approach using the resources I posted above

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

Well I should actually need more help...... Have you even opened the links you did google for me?.

AnalystCave.com Over a year ago

Of course I opened them. 2 of them are my posts. More help...You mean basically write the script for you ;>?

XsiSecOfficial Over a year ago

I trying now but gonna take years haaha but Indeed yeah I should need your pro help lol. Thank you so far.

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how to edit XML files in batch / python

I'm trying to edit `xml` files in a batch / python script

What i need,

I could really appreciate an example of processing XML files in batch / python

2 Answers 2

Let's utilize python!

9 Comments

Necessary tools

The approach

5 Comments

Your Answer

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I'm trying to edit xml files in a batch / python script

What i need,

I could really appreciate an example of processing XML files in batch / python

2 Answers 2

Let's utilize python!

9 Comments

Necessary tools

The approach

5 Comments

Your Answer

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I'm trying to edit `xml` files in a batch / python script