[Python] Python ElementTree iter() method using XPath

I have the following XML element:

<Content>
<Controller Use="Context" Name="Base_Project_Maximum_Connections">
<DataTypes Use="Context">
<DataType Use="Target" Name="cs_dint" Family="NoFamily" Class="User">
<Members>
<Member Name="Status" DataType="CONNECTION_STATUS" Dimension="0" Radix="NullType" Hidden="false" ExternalAccess="Read/Write" />
<Member Name="Data" DataType="DINT" Dimension="0" Radix="Decimal" Hidden="false" ExternalAccess="Read/Write" />
</Members>
</DataType>
</DataTypes>
</Controller>
</Content>


I am trying to find all DataType elements that have a Name of "cs_dint" using the following code:

def GetDataTypeFromElement(root, typeName = None):
dataTypeIter = root.iter("DataType")
for dataTypeElement in dataTypeIter:
print ("Found a data type element")
print ("Finished with first iteration")

dataTypeIter = root.iter("DataType[@Name = 'cs_dint']")
for dataTypeElement in dataTypeIter:
print ("Found a data type element")
print ("Finished with second iteration")

return None


The first call to iter(), where I merely look for DataType elements, works. The second, where I try to specify the name, doesn't. Why not?

Continue reading...