XML and Python

[Martin Schmettow]

Tim Roberts wrote:
> Paul Smith <nospam1 at acmecomm.net> wrote:
> 
>>Hi gang,
>>	I recently rediscovered Python, and I'm interested in using it for a 
>>project I'm embarking on. It involves a lot of XML/XSLT processing, and 
>>I'm trying to figure out which python XML module set/paradigm to 
>>concentrate on.
>>	Can anyone point me to a resource which compares and contrasts, and 
>>describes the interalationships between the many python XML packages out 
>>there? I've briefly looked through xmllib, 4Suite, libxml2, and PyXML, 
>>and found there's a lot of overlap and inbreeding. Anyone out there with 
>>experience using these various packages care to run down the 
>>virues/faults of each and balance ease-of-use vs. features?
> 
> 
> I _STRONGLY_ recommend that you invest in the book, "Python & XML" by
> Christopher Jones & Fred Drake.  I'm only half-way through, and it's
> already been worth the money.

Hi there.

I dont fully agree. It is a nice book if you want to start learning  XML 
stuff and doing basic things with Python. But it fails to reveal the 
internals of the many Python/XML implementations. Some examples from my 
recent troubles:

1. nearly no information is given on the different DOM-implementations 
(xml.dom,Minidom,Domlette), their differences and there interrelationship

2. the information on how to build a DOM tree from the scratch is very 
small and hard to find. I nearly ended up with
print "<"+ MyRootElement+">".

3. the chapter on embedded XSLT processing advises the xml.xslt 
processor. It took me have a day to discover that this implementation is 
  unusable at the moment. Use Ft.Xml.Xslt instead.

For my project I neeced DOM building and XSLT processing, maybe later 
XPath will join the show. I recommend using the 4Suite package 
(http://4suite.org/index.xhtml). You better don't mix different 
implementations.

Conclusion: Everything is there, but you'll have to find it and 
documentation is lousy.

CU
Martin.