Execute parsed xml data as command in python

Question

I am trying to write a automation script in python whose steps are described in a xml document. but when i tried to run the parsed xml data as command in python , it is treating parsed data as string and not executing it. I am using xml.etree.ElementTree to parse data from xml.

my xml code is

    <Setting >

        <device.startActivity name="('com.android.settings/.Settings')" />
        <device.press   name="('KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN')" />
        <vc.dump name="()" />
        <vc.findViewWithText name="('About phone')">.touch(</vc.findViewWithText>
        <device.press   name="('KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN')" />
        <device.press   name="('KEYCODE_DPAD_DOWN')" />
        <vc.dump name="()" />
        <vc.findViewWithText name="('Android verion')">.getParent().getChildren()[1].getText()</vc.findViewWithText>

    </Setting>

and i am using following code to parse and execute it.

Settings = ET.ElementTree(file = configration_file_name).getroot()
length = 0
for ui_application in Settings:
        if length == len(Settings) - 2:
            break
        else:
            length +=1
        if ui_application.text != None :
                ui_application.tag+ui_application.attrib['name']+ui_application.text
        elif ui_application.attrib['name'] !=None:
            ui_application.tag + ui_application.attrib['name']
        else:
             ui_application.tag

Is there any better way to achieve this task?

I am trying to make my python file as generic and specify all the apps as well as their automation steps in xml file so that i don't have to edit my python file. — Abhishek, Jan 08 '16 at 21:52
But then you'll have to map all the python language, otherwise you'll be loosing the ability of using loops, data structures, etc. — Diego Torres Milano, Jan 08 '16 at 21:54
i am aware of the situation , but i am not able to find any better to do it. — Abhishek, Jan 08 '16 at 22:09

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 08 '16 at 22:33

Indeed concatenating string will just result in another string. To run string containing python codes as python expression, you need to use exec() function, for example :

....
else:
    exec(ui_application.tag)

or if you expect the expression to return value, you can use eval() instead of exec() :

....
else:
    result = eval(ui_application.tag)

Execute parsed xml data as command in python

1 Answers1