python/elementtree xml parsing into an array

Question

Starting here:

<Program>

    <ManyTag>
        <InstSpecific Inst="FAMU" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <InstSpecific Inst="FAU" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <InstSpecific Inst="FIU" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <InstSpecific Inst="UCF" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <InstSpecific Inst="UF" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <InstSpecific Inst="UNF" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <InstSpecific Inst="USF" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <InstSpecific Inst="UWF" PgmHrs="120" LimitedAccess="N"/>
        <OtherTags>stuff</OtherTags>
    <ManyTag>

<Program>

From above I have a nested grouping of tags that are unique in attrib but not in tag name. I need to keep this grouping but I cannot figure out how to append the 'Inst' attrib together in an array, document or magical container. Before someone starts hollerin' about code:

tree = etree.parse('some.xml')
root = tree.getroot()

inst = []


for element in root.iter():

    if element.tag == 'InstSpecific':
        inst.append(element.get('Inst')

This is a short, truncated version but I have tried many things and am nearly blind with rage. I am so frustrated I would do it by hand, but that's over 20,000 entries for the 'InstSpecific' alone. Please help.

alecxe · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-04 01:38:43Z

1

Use .findall() to fin all InstSpecific tags and get the Inst attributes from the .attrib:

inst = [element.attrib['Inst'] for element in root.findall('InstSpecific')]

If you need to group the list of Inst attribute values for every ManyTag tag:

[element.attrib['Inst']
 for many_tag in tree.findall('ManyTag')
 for element in many_tag.findall('InstSpecific')]

edited Feb 4, 2016 at 1:38

answered Feb 3, 2016 at 15:06

alecxe

476k127 gold badges1.1k silver badges1.2k bronze badges

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

6 Comments

TypeSlow Over a year ago

yes, that does work in getting all of the 'Inst'. What I use above also works. don't think I'm doing a good job explaining. Here is what I am looking for in an array

TypeSlow Over a year ago

yes, that does work in getting all of the 'Inst'. What I use above also works. don't think I'm doing a good job explaining. Here is what I am looking for in an array, generically speaking: array = [[Breed][Names]]. This would look like array = [[Poodle][Fluffy, LadyBug, Snickers]] The tag would like<Dog Breed="Poodle' Names="Fluffy"> There would be several nested instances of <Dog> and I cannot figure out how to put them in the array so they are associted with a nested cluster of <Dog>.

alecxe Over a year ago

@TypeSlow okay, thanks, but what would the desired output be for the xml sample provided in the question?

TypeSlow Over a year ago

Ok. Thanks. Here's what I want.: array = [['FAMU', 'FAU', 'FIU', 'UCF', 'UNF', 'USF', 'UWF']] Each subsequent row of the array would hold all of the unique 'inst' for that particular nesting of <'IntSpecific>. Thanks for your help!

alecxe Over a year ago

@TypeSlow hope I've got what you meant, please see the update.

|

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

python/elementtree xml parsing into an array

1 Answer 1

6 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

6 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related