Python Versions

2.6, 2.7 and 3.3

Synopsis

from pytoxml import PyToXml

person_details = {
    "name": "Bob",
    "occupation": "Builder",
    "arrests": [
        "Assault / Battery",
        "Indecent Exposure"
    ]
}

p2x = PyToXml("doc", person_details)
print p2x.encode()

Yields:

<doc>
  <arrests>
    <item>Assault / Battery</item>
    <item>Indecent Exposure</item>
  </arrests>
  <name>Bob</name>
  <occupation>Builder</occupation>
</doc>

Introduction

pytoxml gives you a simple way of converting a python structure to XML.

Tests

Run the test suite with py.test (pip install pytest) from the root of the project.

Pluralisation of lists

By default pytoxml will use the element name item which is probably not what you want. Here's a simple example of how you might use a map to determine the best phrase for a list element:

class BetterListsDemo(PyToXml):
    pluralisation_map = {
        "arrests": "arrest"
    }

    def pluralisation(self, plural):
        return self.pluralisation_map.get(plural, "item")

p2x = BetterListsDemo("doc", person_details)
print p2x.encode()

Which gives:

<doc>
  <arrests>
    <arrest>Assault / Battery</arrest>
    <arrest>Indecent Exposure</arrest>
  </arrests>
  <name>Bob</name>
  <occupation>Builder</occupation>
</doc>

The pluralisation function takes plural as an argument which is the name of the direct parent element to the one you'll be creating.

Custom Handlers

By default pytoxml will only encode a few types, if you want to encode, for example, exceptions, you might do the following:

def temp_convertor(structure, element, name):
    element.text = str(structure)

p2x = PyToXml("a", { "b": Exception("Should now serialise") })
p2x.add_type_handler(Exception, temp_convertor)
self.assertEqual(str(p2x.encode()), "<a><b>Should now serialise</b></a>")

If you give an object a __pytoxml__ method then you don't need to register a handler:

class MyException(Exception):
    def __pytoxml__(self, structure, element, name):
        element.text = str(self)

    p2x = PyToXml("a", { "b": MyException("Should now serialise") })
    self.assertEqual(str(p2x.encode()), "<a><b>Should now serialise</b></a>")

CData and attributes

Though it's somewhat orthogonal to the original justification of PyToXml, you can easily output CDATA elements and attributes:

from pytoxml import PyToXml

cdata = pytoxml.CData("<crappy>xml")
attributes = pytoxml.Attributes("simple text", {"one": "two"})

p2x = pytoxml.PyToXml("root", { "raw": cdata, "attributed": attributes })
p2x.encode()

gives (un-formatted):

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<root>
  <raw><![CDATA[<crappy>xml]]></raw>
  <attributed one="two">simple text</attributed>
</root>

Constructor Options

xml_declaration

Output the XML declaration. Defaults to False.

p2x = PyToXml("doc", "hello", encoding="latin1", xml_declaration=True)
print p2x.encode()

Yields:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='latin1'?>
<doc>hello</doc>

encoding

Attributes on the root element

p2x = PyToXml("a", { }, root_attributes={"one": "two"} )
p2x.encode()

gives:

<a one="two"/>

Which encoding system should be used to build Defaults to UTF-8.

Licence

Copyright (C) 2012-2014 Skimbit LTD.

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.