Create an XML representation of a directory tree

xml-directory.rb

#!/usr/bin/env ruby
# xml-directory.rb
# Author:   Werner Robitza
# Synopsis: A basic XML writer that parses the current directory and files
# Usage:    xml-reader.rb <path> <output> [-a]
#           <path>    the directory path that should be analyzed
#           <output>  the output file
#           -a        output with XML attributes too instead of just using XML elements

require 'nokogiri'
require 'builder'
require 'pp'
require 'filemagic'

def show_usage
  puts "Usage: xml-directory.rb <path> <output> [-a]"
  puts "<path>    the directory path that should be analyzed"
  puts "<output>  the output file"
  puts "-a        output with XML attributes too instead of just using XML elements"
  exit
end

# Recursively build XML output, using XML elements or attributes
def build_directory(dir, xml)
  Dir.glob("#{dir}/*") do |entry|
    if File.directory? entry
      if @use_attributes
        xml.directory(attributes_for_entry(entry)) { build_directory(entry, xml) }
      else
        xml.directory {
          elements_for_entry entry, xml
          build_directory entry, xml
        }
      end
    else
      if @use_attributes
        xml.file attributes_for_entry entry
      else
        xml.file { elements_for_entry entry, xml }
      end
    end
  end
end

# Outputs common elements for a directory or file
def elements_for_entry(entry, xml)
  xml.name File.basename(entry)
  xml.size File.size(entry)
  xml.ctime File.ctime(entry)
  xml.mtime File.mtime(entry)
  xml.owner File.stat(entry).uid
end

# Outputs common attributes for a directory or file
def attributes_for_entry(entry)
  attributes = Hash.new
  attributes[:name] = File.basename(entry)
  attributes[:size] = File.size(entry)
  attributes[:ctime] = File.ctime(entry)
  attributes[:mtime] = File.mtime(entry)
  attributes[:owner] = File.stat(entry).uid
  attributes
end

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

show_usage if ARGV.size < 2 or ARGV.size > 3
@path, @output, @use_attributes = ARGV

xml = Builder::XmlMarkup.new(:indent => 2)
xml.instruct!
xml.listing { build_directory @path, xml }

File.open(@output, 'w') { |f| f.write(xml.target!) }