How to Easily Create a CSV from an XML Document Using Python

Discover a simple method to convert XML documents into CSV format using Python, even with non-standard inputs!
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How to Easily Create a CSV from an XML Document Using Python

If you’re working with XML files, especially non-standard ones, you might find yourself needing to convert them into a more usable format like CSV. This is a common scenario for data analysts and developers alike, as CSV files are simpler to handle and widely supported. In this guide, we’ll walk through how to accomplish this task with Python, even when the XML structure isn’t straightforward.

Understanding the Problem

You have an XML file structured in a way that doesn't adhere to common parsing standards, and your goal is to convert it into a CSV file. The XML structure includes elements with attributes that define various properties, and you want to extract these attributes and organize them into a CSV format. The attributes of interest in your XML document are:

code

displayName

codeDescription

isDisplayed

displayOrder

CodeSetName

Example of the XML Structure

Here’s a quick look at how your XML data might be structured:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The challenge arises when conventional XML parsing methods fail to extract the desired data due to the structure of the document. Let’s explore how to effectively convert this XML to CSV using Python.

Solution: Converting XML to CSV

Step 1: Import Required Libraries

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Then, start by importing the necessary libraries.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Define Columns

Next, define the columns we want in our CSV output. These will mirror the attributes in your XML file:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Parse the XML File

Now, you can parse the XML file and extract the data. Instead of just using .text, we will make use of the .items() method to retrieve the attributes directly.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 4: Create a DataFrame

Next, we will convert the list of dictionaries into a pandas DataFrame, specifying the columns we defined:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 5: Export to CSV

Finally, you can write the DataFrame to a CSV file as follows:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Resulting Output

The resulting CSV format will neatly arrange your data. For instance, it will show something like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion