[Gnumed-devel] GNUmed plugin development - part 11

[Sebastian Hilbert]

Python comes with various XML tools. Fortunately there is a library called 
ElementTree which makes XML mangling quite a bit easier. The task is to 
extract the information on each device from the XML file and format a string 
that can be fed to the display.

I had to tidy up my pyhon skills a lot and started with a standalone python 
script that reads in an XML file and parses it for a number of known tags such 
as 'vendor', 'model' and much more. The next step is to format this into the 
string I would like to display on the screen. The benefit of seperating the 
data extraction from the data formating part is that many different display 
options can be catered for.

In short my preferred mode of display it to group by logical device unit. Each 
device such as a pacemaker and its leads make up a device. Each device has 
subparts such as the generator consisting of a mainboard and battery. This is 
not mandatory but makes sense because I would like to have the option to 
document software updates and battery types. Not every pacemaker of the same 
model has the same battery model over time.

I admit the demo-XML file changed a number of times and will most likely see 
some more restructuring until the plugin is complete.

They say it is best to commit often and early to not lose work on one hand and 
get feedback on the other.

Having said that I am going to check in the XML file and standalone XML-parser 
into CVS. It is wise to use the folder 'test-area' in the CVS tree for that.

    cvs add GNUmed6.xml GNUmedDeviceParserElementTree.py

    Enter passphrase for key '/home/basti/.ssh/id_rsa':

    cvs add: scheduling file `GNUmed6.xml' for addition

    cvs add: scheduling file `GNUmedDeviceParserElementTree.py' for addition

    cvs add: use `cvs commit' to add these files permanently

and

    cvs commit GNUmed6.xml GNUmedDeviceParserElementTree.py
    Enter passphrase for key '/home/basti/.ssh/id_rsa':

    /sources/gnumed/gnumed/gnumed/test-area/shilbert/GNUmed6.xml,v  <--  
GNUmed6.xml
    initial revision: 1.1
    /sources/gnumed/gnumed/gnumed/test-
area/shilbert/GNUmedDeviceParserElementTree.py,v  <-- 
GNUmedDeviceParserElementTree.py
    initial revision: 1.1

When you update your CVS tree you get my work located in the folder 
gnumed/gnumed/test-area/shilbert

to try it run:

    python GNUmedDeviceParserElementTree.py

Reading the XML file GNUmed6.xml it will output this:

    The file has the following devices: <Element CardicacDevice at b7bfb20c>:
    The device has the following parts: <Element DevicePart at b7bfb18c>
    hey we are dealing with a generator here:-)
    ('St. Jude Medical', 'Atlas DR', 'active')


Seems like we are getting there. Next up is to finish the parsing. While this 
is getting done Karsten needs to write the routine to store and retrieve and 
xml object in the database.