Building a XML Tree as Easy as ABC in Python

xmlbuilder.py

'''
****************************************************************************************
Building a XML Tree as Easy as ABC in Python

This implementation requires lxml

Created by Igor Hercowitz
2012-07-04 
******************************************************************************************
'''


from lxml import etree

class XmlBuilder:
    def __init__(self, root_name='root'):
        self.root = etree.Element(root_name)
        self.pretty_print = True

    def set_prettyprint(self, choice):
        if isinstance(choice, bool):
            self.pretty_print = choice
        else:
            raise TypeError('This value should be a boolean')

    def xmlbuilder(self, parent=None, unique=True, use_attributes=False, **kwargs):
        use_attributes = False

        if parent is None:
            parent = self.root

        if isinstance(parent, etree._Element):
            node_parent = parent
        else:
            node_parent = etree.Element(parent)

        

        if 'attributes' in kwargs:
            for k, v in kwargs['attributes'].items():
                kwargs[k] = v
            use_attributes = True
            del kwargs['attributes']
            

        for k, v in kwargs.items():
            node = None
            if unique and node_parent.find(k) is not None:
                node = node_parent.find(k)

            if isinstance(v, dict):
                if node is None:
                    node = etree.SubElement(node_parent, k)

                self.xmlbuilder(node, unique=False, use_attributes=use_attributes, **v)

            else:

                if use_attributes:
                    node = node_parent.set(k, v)
                else:
                    node = etree.SubElement(node_parent, k)
                    node.text = v
        use_attributes = False
        return node_parent

    def __str__(self):
        return etree.tostring(self.root, pretty_print=self.pretty_print)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    x = XmlBuilder('receitas')
    x.xmlbuilder(receita={
                         'titulo': 'Bolo de Chocolate',
                         'ingredientes': {'attributes': { 'manteiga': '1 xicara',
                                                          'acucar': '2 xicaras',
                                                          'ovo': '4',
                                                          'farinha': '2 xicaras e 1/2 de farinha de trigo com fermento',
                                                          'leite': '1 copo'}},
                         'preparo': 'Misture os ingredientes, bote numa forma untada com manteiga e trigo.'\
                                    'Depois coloque no forno. Por ultimo, faca a cobertura.'
                        })
    print x