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From: Andrew Farrell <amfarrell@mit.edu>
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2015 23:27:57 -0500
Subject: Re: New to Programming - XML Processing
To: Rustom Mody <rustompmody@gmail.com>
Cc: "python-list@python.org" <python-list@python.org>
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You should follow Rustom's advice before just diving into the blog post I
linked to. Otherwise you risk blindly following things and losing your
bearings when you run into bugs.

On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 11:17 PM, Rustom Mody <rustompmody@gmail.com> wrote=
:

> On Wednesday, April 1, 2015 at 8:57:15 AM UTC+5:30, catperson wrote:
> > I am new to programming, though not new to computers.  I'm looking to
> > teach myself Python 3 and am working my way through a tutorial.  At
> > the point I'm at in the tutorial I am tasked with parsing out an XML
> > file created with a Garmin Forerunner and am just having a terrible
> > time getting my head around the concepts.  What I'm looking for is
> > some suggested reading that might give me some of the theory of
> > operation behind ElementTree and then how to parse out specific
> > elements.  Most of what I have been able to find in examples that I
> > can understand use very simplistic XML files and this Garmin file is
> > many levels of sub-elements and some of those elements have attributes
> > assigned, like <Activity Sport=3D"Running">.
> >
> > I'm hoping with enough reading I can experiment and work my way
> > through the problem and end up with a hopefully clear understanding of
> > the ElementTree module and Dictionairies.
> >
> > Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
>
> Suggestions:
> 1. Learn to use the interpreter interactively; ie (at the least)=C2=B9 ie
>
> a. Start up python (without a program)
> b. Play around with trivial expressions
> c. Explore introspective features - help(), type() dir()
>
> 2. Do you know about triple-quoted strings?
> a. Start small (or trivial) sub-parts of your XML as triple-quoted
> examples in the
> interpreter and start throwing them at elementtree
> b. If they dont work trivialize further; if they work add complexity
> -----------
> =C2=B9 At the least because environments like Idle are more conducive to =
such
> playing
> --
> https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
>

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<div dir=3D"ltr">You should follow Rustom&#39;s advice before just diving i=
nto the blog post I linked to. Otherwise you risk blindly following things =
and losing your bearings when you run into bugs.</div><div class=3D"gmail_e=
xtra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Tue, Mar 31, 2015 at 11:17 PM, Rust=
om Mody <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:rustompmody@gmail.com" targ=
et=3D"_blank">rustompmody@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote cl=
ass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;p=
adding-left:1ex"><div class=3D"HOEnZb"><div class=3D"h5">On Wednesday, Apri=
l 1, 2015 at 8:57:15 AM UTC+5:30, catperson wrote:<br>
&gt; I am new to programming, though not new to computers.=C2=A0 I&#39;m lo=
oking to<br>
&gt; teach myself Python 3 and am working my way through a tutorial.=C2=A0 =
At<br>
&gt; the point I&#39;m at in the tutorial I am tasked with parsing out an X=
ML<br>
&gt; file created with a Garmin Forerunner and am just having a terrible<br=
>
&gt; time getting my head around the concepts.=C2=A0 What I&#39;m looking f=
or is<br>
&gt; some suggested reading that might give me some of the theory of<br>
&gt; operation behind ElementTree and then how to parse out specific<br>
&gt; elements.=C2=A0 Most of what I have been able to find in examples that=
 I<br>
&gt; can understand use very simplistic XML files and this Garmin file is<b=
r>
&gt; many levels of sub-elements and some of those elements have attributes=
<br>
&gt; assigned, like &lt;Activity Sport=3D&quot;Running&quot;&gt;.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; I&#39;m hoping with enough reading I can experiment and work my way<br=
>
&gt; through the problem and end up with a hopefully clear understanding of=
<br>
&gt; the ElementTree module and Dictionairies.<br>
&gt;<br>
&gt; Thanks for any suggestions in advance.<br>
<br>
</div></div>Suggestions:<br>
1. Learn to use the interpreter interactively; ie (at the least)=C2=B9 ie<b=
r>
<br>
a. Start up python (without a program)<br>
b. Play around with trivial expressions<br>
c. Explore introspective features - help(), type() dir()<br>
<br>
2. Do you know about triple-quoted strings?<br>
a. Start small (or trivial) sub-parts of your XML as triple-quoted examples=
 in the<br>
interpreter and start throwing them at elementtree<br>
b. If they dont work trivialize further; if they work add complexity<br>
-----------<br>
=C2=B9 At the least because environments like Idle are more conducive to su=
ch playing<br>
<span class=3D"HOEnZb"><font color=3D"#888888">--<br>
<a href=3D"https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list" target=3D"=
_blank">https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list</a><br>
</font></span></blockquote></div><br></div>

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