Lightweight xml parser

TEST_DATASET = [{
    # no keys specified
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data>test</data>
</xml>""",
    'keys': [],
    'lists': [],
    'data': {},
    }, {
    # nonexistent key
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data>test</data>
</xml>""",
    'keys': ['xml.data', 'xml.nonexistent'],
    'lists': [],
    'data': {'xml': {'data': 'test'}},
    }, {
    # attributes
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data id="100"/>
</xml>""",
    'keys': ['xml.data.id'],
    'lists': [],
    'data': {'xml': {'data': {'id': "100"}}},
    }, {
    # lists
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data>
    <item id="1">
        <color>purple</color>
    </item>
    <item id="2">
        <color>cyan</color>
    </item>
  </data>
</xml>""",
    'keys': ['xml.data.item.id', 'xml.data.item.color'],
    'lists': ['xml.data.item'],
    'data': {
        'xml': {
            'data': {
                'item': [
                    {'color': 'purple', 'id': '1'},
                    {'color': 'cyan', 'id': '2'}
                ]
            }
        }
    }},
]

from xml import sax


class XMLParser(sax.handler.ContentHandler):

    def __init__(self, keys=[], lists=[], *args, **kwargs):
        """
        :param keys: list of data keys have to be available in data
        :param lists: list of nodes have be represented as list

        :example keys: 'messages.status', 'home.categories.item.label'
        :example lists: 'home.categories.item'
        """
        sax.handler.ContentHandler.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
        self.keys = keys
        self.lists = lists
        self.data = {}
        self.current_path = ''
        self.current_attrs = {}
        self.content = ''
        # short keys - keys without last element (used to parse attributes)
        self.short_keys = []
        for key in keys:
            parts = key.split('.')
            if len(parts) < 2:
                continue
            self.short_keys.append('.'.join(parts[:-1]))

    def startDocument(self):
        pass

    def startElement(self, name, attrs):
        self.current_attrs[name] = attrs
        if self.current_path:
            self.current_path += '.'
        self.current_path += name
        if self.current_path in self.lists:
            # create new item in list
            block = self.data
            path = self.current_path.split('.')
            for i, p in enumerate(path):
                if i == len(path) - 1:
                    if p not in block:
                        block[p] = [{}]
                    else:
                        block[p].append({})
                    break
                if '.'.join(path[:i + 1]) in self.lists:
                    block = block[p][-1]
                else:
                    if p not in block:
                        block[p] = {}
                    block = block[p]

    def characters(self, content):
        self.content += content

    def addValue(self, path_str, value):
        block = self.data
        path = path_str.split('.')
        for i, p in enumerate(path):
            if i == len(path) - 1:
                block[p] = value
                break
            if '.'.join(path[:i + 1]) in self.lists:
                block = block[p][-1]
            else:
                if p not in block:
                    block[p] = {}
                block = block[p]

    def endElement(self, name):
        if self.current_path in self.keys:
            self.addValue(self.current_path, self.content.strip())
        elif self.current_path in self.short_keys:
            # parse attributes
            attrs = self.current_attrs[self.current_path.split('.')[-1]]
            for k in attrs.keys():
                path = '{path}.{attr}'.format(path=self.current_path, attr=k)
                if path in self.keys:
                    self.addValue(path, attrs[k])
        self.current_path = '.'.join(
            self.current_path.split('.')[:-1])
        self.content = ''

    def endDocument(self):
        pass


TEST_DATASET = [{
    # no keys specified
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data>test</data>
</xml>""",
    'keys': [],
    'lists': [],
    'data': {},
    }, {
    # nonexistent key
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data>test</data>
</xml>""",
    'keys': ['xml.data', 'xml.nonexistent'],
    'lists': [],
    'data': {'xml': {'data': 'test'}},
    }, {
    # attributes
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data id="100"/>
</xml>""",
    'keys': ['xml.data.id'],
    'lists': [],
    'data': {'xml': {'data': {'id': "100"}}},
    }, {
    # lists
    'xml': """
<xml>
  <data>
    <item id="1">
        <color>purple</color>
    </item>
    <item id="2">
        <color>cyan</color>
    </item>
  </data>
</xml>""",
    'keys': ['xml.data.item.id', 'xml.data.item.color'],
    'lists': ['xml.data.item'],
    'data': {
        'xml': {
            'data': {
                'item': [
                    {'color': 'purple', 'id': '1'},
                    {'color': 'cyan', 'id': '2'}
                ]
            }
        }
    }},
]


if __name__ == '__main__':
    for test_data in TEST_DATASET:
        parser = XMLParser(
            keys=test_data['keys'],
            lists=test_data['lists'])
        sax.parseString(test_data['xml'], parser)
        assert parser.data == test_data['data'], '{0} != {1}'.format(
            parser.data, test_data['data'])