\section{\module{xml.sax} ---

Support for SAX2 parsers}

\declaremodule{standard}{xml.sax}

\modulesynopsis{Package containing SAX2 base classes and convenience

functions.}

\moduleauthor{Lars Marius Garshol}{[email protected]}

\sectionauthor{Fred L. Drake, Jr.}{[email protected]}

\versionadded{2.0}

The \module{xml.sax} package provides a number of modules which

implement the Simple API for XML (SAX) interface for Python. The

package itself provides the SAX exceptions and the convenience

functions which will be most used by users of the SAX API.

The convenience functions are:

\begin{funcdesc}{make_parser}{\optional{parser_list}}

Create and return a SAX \class{XMLReader} object. The first parser

found will be used. If \var{parser_list} is provided, it must be a

sequence of strings which name modules that have a function named

\function{create_parser()}. Modules listed in \var{parser_list}

will be used before modules in the default list of parsers.

\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{parse}{filename_or_stream, handler\optional{, error_handler}}

Create a SAX parser and use it to parse a document. The document,

passed in as \var{filename_or_stream}, can be a filename or a file

object. The \var{handler} parameter needs to be a SAX

\class{ContentHandler} instance. If \var{error_handler} is given,

it must be a SAX \class{ErrorHandler} instance; if omitted,

\exception{SAXParseException} will be raised on all errors. There

is no return value; all work must be done by the \var{handler}

passed in.

\end{funcdesc}

\begin{funcdesc}{parseString}{string, handler\optional{, error_handler}}

Similar to \function{parse()}, but parses from a buffer \var{string}

received as a parameter.

\end{funcdesc}

The SAX exceptions are also provided here:

\begin{excclassdesc}{SAXException}{msg\optional{, exception}}

Encapsulate an XML error or warning. This class can contain basic

error or warning information from either the XML parser or the

application: it can be subclassed to provide additional

functionality or to add localization. Note that although the

handlers defined in the \class{ErrorHandler} interface receive

instances of this exception, it is not required to actually raise

the exception --- it is also useful as a container for information.

When instantiated, \var{msg} should be a human-readable description

of the error. The optional \var{exception} parameter, if given,

should be \code{None} or an exception that was caught by the parsing

code and is being passed along as information.

This is the base class for the other SAX exception classes.

\end{excclassdesc}

\begin{excclassdesc}{SAXParseException}{msg, exception, locator}

Subclass of \exception{SAXException} raised on parse errors.

Instances of this class are passed to the methods of the SAX

\class{ErrorHandler} interface to provide information about the

parse error. This class supports the SAX \class{Locator} interface

as well as the \class{SAXException} interface.

\end{excclassdesc}

\begin{excclassdesc}{SAXNotRecognizedException}{msg\optional{, exception}}

Subclass of \exception{SAXException} raised when a SAX

\class{XMLReader} is confronted with an unrecognized feature or

property. SAX applications and extensions may use this class for

similar purposes.

\end{excclassdesc}

\begin{excclassdesc}{SAXNotSupportedException}{msg\optional{, exception}}

Subclass of \exception{SAXException} raised when a SAX

\class{XMLReader} is asked to enable a feature that is not

supported, or to set a property to a value that the implementation

does not support. SAX applications and extensions may use this

class for similar purposes.

\end{excclassdesc}

\begin{seealso}

\seetitle[http://www.megginson.com/SAX/]{SAX: The Simple API for

XML}{This site is the focal point for the definition of

the SAX API. It provides a Java implementation and online

documentation. Links to implementations and historical

information are also available.}

\end{seealso}

\subsection{SAXException Objects \label{saxexception-objects}}

The \class{SAXException} exception class supports the following

methods:

\begin{methoddesc}[SAXException]{getMessage}{}

Return a human-readable message describing the error condition.

\end{methoddesc}

\begin{methoddesc}[SAXException]{getException}{}

Return an encapsulated exception object, or \code{None}.

\end{methoddesc}