xmltodict - TypeError: list indices must be integers, not str

[flebber]

I am using xmltodict.

This is how I have accessed and loaded my file.

import xmltodict
document = open("/home/sayth/Scripts/va_benefits/20140508GOSF0.xml", "r")
read_doc = document.read()
xml_doc = xmltodict.parse(read_doc)

The start of the file I am trying to get data out of is.

<meeting id="35483" barriertrial="0" venue="Gosford" date="2014-05-08T00:00:00" gearchanges="-1" stewardsreport="-1" gearlist="-1" racebook="0" postracestewards="0" meetingtype="TAB" rail="True" weather="Fine      " trackcondition="Dead      " nomsdeadline="2014-05-02T11:00:00" weightsdeadline="2014-05-05T16:00:00" acceptdeadline="2014-05-06T09:00:00" jockeydeadline="2014-05-06T12:00:00">
  <club abbrevname="Gosford Race Club" code="49" associationclass="2" website="http://" />
  <race id="185273" number="1" nomnumber="7" division="0" name="GOSFORD ROTARY MAIDEN HANDICAP" mediumname="MDN" shortname="MDN" stage="Acceptances" distance="1600" minweight="55" raisedweight="0" class="MDN       " age="~         " grade="0" weightcondition="HCP       " trophy="0" owner="0" trainer="0" jockey="0" strapper="0" totalprize="22000" first="12250" second="4250" third="2100" fourth="1000" fifth="525" time="2014-05-08T12:30:00" bonustype="BX02      " nomsfee="0" acceptfee="0" trackcondition="          " timingmethod="          " fastesttime="          " sectionaltime="          " formavailable="0" racebookprize="Of $22000. First $12250, second $4250, third $2100, fourth $1000, fifth $525, sixth $375, seventh $375, eighth $375, ninth $375, tenth $375">
    <condition line="1">

So thought I had it figured. Can access the elements of meeting and the elements of club such as by doing this.

In [5]: xml_doc['meeting']['club']['@abbrevname']
Out[5]: u'Gosford Race Club'

However whenever I try and access race in the same manner I get errors.

In [11]: xml_doc['meeting']['club']['race']['@id']
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
KeyError                                  Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-11-cce362d7e6fc> in <module>()
----> 1 xml_doc['meeting']['club']['race']['@id']

KeyError: 'race'

In [12]: xml_doc['meeting']['race']['@id']
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
TypeError                                 Traceback (most recent call last)
<ipython-input-12-c304e2b8f9be> in <module>()
----> 1 xml_doc['meeting']['race']['@id']

TypeError: list indices must be integers, not str

why is accessing race @id any different to the access of club @abbrevname and how do I get it for race?

Thanks

Sayth