dict2xml

Summary

Converts a native Python dictionary into an XML string.

Details

• Supports item (int, float, bool, str, unicode, datetime) and collection (list, set and dict) data types with arbitrary nesting for the collections. Datetime objects are converted to ISO format strings.

• The root object passed into the dict2xml function can be any of the following data types: int, float, str, unicode, datetime, list, set, dict.

• To satisfy XML syntax, by default it wraps all the dict keys/elements and values in a <root> ... </root> element. However, this can be disabled to create XML snippets.

• For lists of items, if each item is also a collection data type (lists, dict), the elements of that item are wrapped in a generic <item> ... </item> element.

• Elements with an item data type (int, float, bool, str, datetime, unicode) include a type attribute with the data type. Note: datetime data types are converted into ISO format strings, and unicode and datetime data types get a str attribute.

• Elements with an unsupported data type raise a TypeError exception.

Installation

Download the tarballed installer - dict2xml-[VERSION].tar.gz - for this package from the dist directory and uncompress it. Then, from a terminal or command window, navigate into the unzipped folder and type the command:

python setup.py install

That should be all you need to do.

Usage

Once installed, import the library into your script and convert a dict into xml by running the dict2xml function:

>>> import dict2xml
>>> xml = dict2xml.dict2xml(some_dict)

Alternately, you can import the dict2xml() function from the library.

>>> from dict2xml import dict2xml
>>> xml = dict2xml(some_object)

That's it!

Debugging

You can also enable debugging information.

>>> import dict2xml
>>> dict2xml.debug = True # the console will print debug information for each function as it executes.  

>>> xml = dict2xml.dict2xml(some_object)

If you encounter any errors in the code, please file an issue: https://github.com/quandyfactory/dict2xml/issues

Author

• Author: Ryan McGreal
• Email: [email protected]
• Repository: http://github.com/quandyfactory/dict2xml

Version

• Version: 0.5
• Release Date: 2012-02-28

Revision History

Version 0.5

• Release Date: 2012-02-28
• Changes:
  • Added support for datetime objects (converts them into ISO format strings) and sets (converts them into lists).
  • Fixed bug 2 by raising an exception on unsupported data types.

Version 0.4

• Release Date: 2012-01-26
• Changes:
  • Added optional root argument (default True) on whether to wrap the generated XML in an XML declaration and a root element.
  • Added ability to convert a root object of other data types - int, float, str, unicode, list - as well as dict.
  • Corrected license attribute in setup.py.
  • Renamed notify() function to debug_notify() and made it more comprehensive.

Version 0.3

• Release Date: 2012-01-24
• Changes:
  • Fixed inconsistent str/string attributes.

Version 0.2

• Release Date: 2012-01-24
• Changes:
  • Fixed bug in list items.
  • Added element attribute with data type.

Version 0.1

• Release Date: 2012-01-24
• Changes:
  • First commit.

Copyright and Licence

Copyright 2012 by Ryan McGreal.

Released under the GNU General Public Licence, Version 2:
http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html