Parsing a XML file in command line (bash/python ideally)

Question

I'm trying to make a script (bash or python ideally, so I learn and don't just use it dumbly) that will parse a XML file that looks like this :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<fruits xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://whatever/fruits.xsd" timestamp="1521126010" merchantId="xxxx">
<fruit id="1" name="Orange" color="orange"/>
<fruit id="2" name="Mandarine" color="Orange"/>
<fruit id="3" name="Raisin" color="Green" variety="4"/>
<fruit id="4" name="Raspberrry" color="red" variety="2"/>
<fruit id="5" name="Kiwi" color="brown"/>
<fruit id="6" name="I am a fruit" variety="7">
</fruits>

I'm trying to make a script that can return me the differents attributes. For example :

./script Raisin -c
Orange
./script Kiwi -v
No variety defined
./script "I am a fruit" -i
6

And so on. I've read a lot on XML parsing, but didn't found anything yet with that kind of XML file. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

and what does mean your -i option? Describe all your options — RomanPerekhrest
– RomanPerekhrest, Commented Mar 16, 2018 at 14:19
In terms of python there is a module called etree that is included in lxml. This will allow you to easily parse your XML data in the python runtime. — Kyle
– Kyle, Commented Mar 16, 2018 at 14:22
@RomanPerekhrest : -i would be for id, -c for color, -v for variety — SBO
– SBO, Commented Mar 16, 2018 at 14:28
" didn't found anything yet with that kind of XML file" => the point of formats like XML is that they are generic. IOW you can use just any available Python XML parser to do the job. — bruno desthuilliers
– bruno desthuilliers, Commented Mar 16, 2018 at 14:43

RomanPerekhrest · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-16 16:13:07Z

1

Complete bash + xmlstarlet solution:

get_attr.sh script:

#!/bin/bash

name=$1
declare -A attr_map
attr_map=(["-c"]=color ["-i"]=id ["-v"]=variety)

if [[ -z "$2" ]]; then
    echo "Additional attribute missing!"
    exit 1
fi

if [[ -z "${attr_map[$2]}" ]]; then
    echo "Unsupported attribute prefix. Allowed are: ${!attr_map[@]}"
    exit 1
fi

attr="${attr_map[$2]}"
result=$(xmlstarlet sel -t -m "//fruit[@name='$name' and @$attr]" -v "./@$attr" input.xml)
if [[ -n "$result" ]]; then
    echo "$result"
else
    echo "No $attr attribute defined"
fi

Test cases:

$ bash get_attr.sh "Orange" -c
orange
$ bash get_attr.sh "Raisin" -v
4
$ bash get_attr.sh "Raisin" -d
Unsupported attribute prefix. Allowed are: -v -c -i
$ bash get_attr.sh "I am a fruit" -i
6
$ bash get_attr.sh "I am a fruit" -c
No color attribute defined

answered Mar 16, 2018 at 16:13

RomanPerekhrest

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1 Comment

SBO Over a year ago

Thank you so much ! Will definitely check the xmlstartlet thinggy for my next scripts !

codeape · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-16 14:16:56Z

0

Check out the xmlstarlet tool.

http://xmlstar.sourceforge.net/doc/UG/xmlstarlet-ug.html

Using xmlstarlet you can execute XPath queries from the command line.

answered Mar 16, 2018 at 14:16

codeape

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