write the output to a dynamically created file from the XML parser

Question

I want to call this python script from another python script file. The output generated needs to be written to a file that is passed as a parameter. How could I do that? I'm a beginner and would appreciate the minor details. Thanks.

PS: the problem is not writing to the file, but to pass the name of the output file as an argument and write to THAT fille.

Here is the code:

import xml.sax

class MovieHandler( xml.sax.ContentHandler ):
   def __init__(self):
      self.CurrentData = ""
      self.type = ""
      self.format = ""
      self.year = ""
      self.rating = ""
      self.stars = ""
      self.description = ""

   # Call when an element starts
   def startElement(self, tag, attributes):
      self.CurrentData = tag
      if tag == "movie":
         print "*****Movie*****"
         title = attributes["title"]
         print "Title:", title

   # Call when an elements ends
   def endElement(self, tag):
      if self.CurrentData == "type":
         print "Type:", self.type
      elif self.CurrentData == "format":
         print "Format:", self.format
      elif self.CurrentData == "year":
         print "Year:", self.year
      elif self.CurrentData == "rating":
         print "Rating:", self.rating
      elif self.CurrentData == "stars":
         print "Stars:", self.stars
      elif self.CurrentData == "description":
         print "Description:", self.description
      self.CurrentData = ""

   # Call when a character is read
   def characters(self, content):
      if self.CurrentData == "type":
         self.type = content
      elif self.CurrentData == "format":
         self.format = content
      elif self.CurrentData == "year":
         self.year = content
      elif self.CurrentData == "rating":
         self.rating = content
      elif self.CurrentData == "stars":
         self.stars = content
      elif self.CurrentData == "description":
         self.description = content

if ( __name__ == "__main__"):

   # create an XMLReader
   parser = xml.sax.make_parser()
   # turn off namepsaces
   parser.setFeature(xml.sax.handler.feature_namespaces, 0)

   # override the default ContextHandler
   Handler = MovieHandler()
   parser.setContentHandler( Handler )

   parser.parse("movies.xml")

I have tried to modify the __init__function as

def __init__(self, output_file):
    ----do something----

and pass the output file as an arguement.

and then call the script as a system call as below:

os.system("script.py" "output_file")

I would rather have global variables or return statements and then process that and write to a file that do the system call. How could I do that?

you can use simple string and file write to write the content to a file.its like fd = open(output_file, "a") , fd.write(string_to _write), then flush the file pointer and close it. Your content will be written to the file. — sagar
– sagar, Commented Jun 13, 2016 at 9:45
@sagar, I need to pass the name of the output file as an argument. That is where my problem is. — RowenaRavenclaw
– RowenaRavenclaw, Commented Jun 13, 2016 at 9:46
No problem sys.argv[0] is your python file name, sys.argv[1] is the argument that you will pass. See you can use sys module. like : import sys, sys.argv[1] is your 1st argument to python file. Ex: "python script.py path_to_output_file" then sys.argv[1] is path_to_output_file. So in "class MovieHandler" __init__(self, outputfile) -> initialize a class variable like self.outputfile = outputfile. — sagar
– sagar, Commented Jun 13, 2016 at 9:50

sagar · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-15 09:55:18Z

1

You can import sys module and use it.
sys.argv[] holds the command line arguments passed to the python interpreter.
sys.argv[0] is your python file name.
sys.argv[1] is the path to the output file you want to write.
From the main method you can pass this sys.argv[1] to class MovieHandler.

Below is the sample to how to call the python file from other python script and also how to pass the command line argument:

From the other file to call your python script:

import os, sys
os.system("python /pathto/script.py /pathto/output_file")

In your python script:
class MovieHandler:
    def __init__(self, outputfile):
        self.outputfile = outputfile
if __name__ == "__main__":
    movieHandlerObj = MovieHandler(sys.argv[1])

answered Jun 15, 2016 at 9:55

sagar

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