saxutils.XMLGenerator and CDATA

[chris]

Confused somewhat xml newbie. I'm trying to output xml with a CDATA
section, using saxutils.XMLGen erator, but the output contains escaped
'<' and '>' and '&' from the CDATA element. Shouldn't it be spit out
intact?

Here's code and output:

from xml.sax import saxutils
import sys
handler = saxutils.XMLGen erator(sys.stdo ut)
handler.startDo cument()
handler.startEl ement('sometag' , {})
handler.charact ers('<![CDATA[x&<>xxx]]>')
handler.endElem ent('sometag')
handler.endDocu ment()

Produces:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<sometag>&lt; ![CDATA[x&amp;&lt;&gt;x xx]]&gt;</sometag>

I was expecting to see
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<sometag><![CDATA[x&<>xxx]]></sometag>

What am I doing wrong here?

Thanks,
Chris

[Robert Kern]

Re: saxutils.XMLGen erator and CDATA

chris wrote:[color=blue]
> Confused somewhat xml newbie. I'm trying to output xml with a CDATA
> section, using saxutils.XMLGen erator, but the output contains escaped
> '<' and '>' and '&' from the CDATA element. Shouldn't it be spit out
> intact?
>
> Here's code and output:
>
> from xml.sax import saxutils
> import sys
> handler = saxutils.XMLGen erator(sys.stdo ut)
> handler.startDo cument()
> handler.startEl ement('sometag' , {})
> handler.charact ers('<![CDATA[x&<>xxx]]>')
> handler.endElem ent('sometag')
> handler.endDocu ment()
>
> Produces:
> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
> <sometag>&lt; ![CDATA[x&amp;&lt;&gt;x xx]]&gt;</sometag>
>
> I was expecting to see
> <?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
> <sometag><![CDATA[x&<>xxx]]></sometag>
>
> What am I doing wrong here?[/color]

The <![CDATA[]]> crud is markup, not character data. You are passing it in as
characters (hence the method's name "characters "), so saxutils.XMLGen erator is
treating it as such.

<!CDATA[]]> sections are intended for human authoring, not computer authoring.
If you want to keep your sanity, just don't do it.

--
Robert Kern
robert.kern@gma il.com

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
-- Richard Harter