making an xml-parser more readable: an abstract target that tries to call methods like TAGNAME_start, TAGNAME_end etc.

parser_target.py

class AbstractParseTarget(object):  # http://lxml.de/parsing.html#the-target-parser-interface
    def __init__(self):
        self.current_tag = None


    def start(self, tag, attrib):
        self.current_tag = tag

        method = getattr(self, '%s_start' % tag, None)
        if method:
            method(attrib)


    def end(self, tag):
        method = getattr(self, '%s_end' % tag, None)
        if method:
            method()

        self.current_tag = None


    def close(self):
        self.current_tag = None


    def data(self, data):
        if self.current_tag is None:
            return

        method = getattr(self, '%s_data' % self.current_tag, None)
        if method:
            method(data)