Introduction

to XML
Mark William Guinto
 What is XML?
XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a markup language similar to HTML, but without
predefined tags to use. Instead, you define your own tags designed specifically for your
needs. This is a powerful way to store data in a format that can be stored, searched,
and shared. Most importantly, since the fundamental format of XML is standardized, if
you share or transmit XML across systems or platforms, either locally or over the
internet, the recipient can still parse the data due to the standardized XML syntax.

There are many languages based on XML, including XHTML, MathML, SVG, RSS, and
RDF. You can also define your own.
 Structure of an XML document

The whole structure of XML and XML-based languages is built on tags.

XML declaration

XML - declaration is not a tag. It is used for the transmission of the meta-data of a document.

html
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 Displaying XML

XML is usually used for descriptive purposes, but there are ways to
display XML data. If you don't define a specific way for the XML to be
rendered, the raw XML is displayed in the browser.

One way to style XML output is to specify CSS to apply to the

document using the xml-stylesheet processing instruction.
 The Difference Between XML and HTML

XML and HTML were designed with different goals:

● XML was designed to carry data - with focus on what

data is
● HTML was designed to display data - with focus on
how data looks
● XML tags are not predefined like HTML tags are
 The Difference Between XML and HTML

XML and HTML were designed with different goals:

● XML was designed to carry data - with focus on what

data is
● HTML was designed to display data - with focus on
how data looks
● XML tags are not predefined like HTML tags are
 XML Simplifies Things

● XML simplifies data sharing

● XML simplifies data transport
● XML simplifies platform changes
● XML simplifies data availability

Many computer systems contain data in incompatible formats. Exchanging data between incompatible systems
(or upgraded systems) is a time-consuming task for web developers. Large amounts of data must be converted,
and incompatible data is often lost.

XML stores data in plain text format. This provides a software- and hardware-independent way of storing,
transporting, and sharing data.

XML also makes it easier to expand or upgrade to new operating systems, new applications, or new browsers,
without losing data.

With XML, data can be available to all kinds of "reading machines" like people, computers, voice machines, news
feeds, etc.
Example of XML File
This XML example represents a library with two books.

Here's a breakdown:

● <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>: This line declares the XML version and character encoding used in the
document.
● <library>: This is the root element, encompassing all the information about the library.
● <book>: This element represents a single book in the library. It has attributes like id to uniquely identify each book.
● <title>, <author>, <genre>, <price>, <publish_date>, <description>: These are child elements of <book>
providing details about the book.

This structure demonstrates how XML uses tags to organize and label data in a hierarchical way, making it both human-readable and
machine-readable.

Sources and related content

END
Introduction to
Python
Mark William
Guinto
 2

What is Python

Python is a widely used general-purpose, high-level

programming language. It was created by Guido van Rossum in
1991 and further developed by the Python Software Foundation.
It was designed with an emphasis on code readability, and its
syntax allows programmers to express their concepts in fewer
lines of code. Python is a programming language that lets you
work quickly and integrate systems more efficiently
 3

Python and Java

 4
Python is a versatile language used in a wide range of
applications. Here are some of the most common and
practical uses:
1. Web Development:

● Backend Frameworks: Python offers robust frameworks like Django and Flask, which simplify web
development tasks, enabling rapid prototyping and efficient development of scalable web applications.
● APIs and Web Services: Python is excellent for building RESTful APIs, allowing different applications to
communicate with each other.

2. Data Science and Machine Learning:

● Data Analysis and Visualization: Libraries like Pandas and NumPy provide powerful tools for data
manipulation, cleaning, and analysis. Matplotlib and Seaborn are used for creating insightful visualizations.
● Machine Learning: Python is the go-to language for machine learning, with libraries like scikit-learn offering
a wide range of algorithms for tasks like classification, regression, and clustering. TensorFlow and PyTorch
are popular for deep learning.
 Python is a versatile language used in a wide range of 5

applications. Here are some of the most common and

practical uses:
3. Automation and Scripting:

● Task Automation: Python can automate repetitive tasks, such as file management, system administration, and web scraping,
saving time and increasing efficiency.
● Scripting: Python can be used to write scripts for various purposes, like automating software testing, interacting with
databases, and managing network devices.

4. Desktop Applications:

● GUI Development: Python provides libraries like Tkinter and PyQt for creating graphical user interfaces for desktop
applications.

5. Education and Teaching:

● Beginner-Friendly: Python's simple syntax and readability make it an ideal language for beginners to learn programming
concepts.
● Versatile Applications: Python can be used to teach various computer science concepts, from basic programming to
advanced topics like data structures and algorithms.
 6
Python is a versatile language used in a wide range of
applications. Here are some of the most common and
practical uses:
6. Other Notable Uses:

● Game Development: Libraries like Pygame simplify game development.

● DevOps and System Administration: Python is used for automating server deployments, managing infrastructure,
and monitoring systems.
● Scientific Computing: Python is used in fields like bioinformatics, physics, and mathematics for numerical analysis
and simulations.

These are just a few examples of the many practical uses of Python. Its versatility, extensive libraries, and active
community make it a powerful tool for a wide range of tasks.
 Basic output 7

The print() function displays output to the user. Output is the information or
result produced by a program. The sep and end options can be used to customize
the output. Table 1.1 shows examples of sep and end.

Multiple values, separated by commas, can be printed in the same statement. By

default, each value is separated by a space character in the output. The sep option
can be used to change this behavior.

By default, the print() function adds a newline character at the end of the output.
A newline character tells the display to move to the next line. The end option can
be used to continue printing on the same line.
8
Python - Lesson 8

Mark William Guinto

 Variables
Python has no command for declaring a variable.

A variable is created the moment you first assign a value to it.

x = 5

y = "John"

print(x)

print(y)
 Variables
Variables do not need to be declared with any particular type, and can even change type after they have been
set.

x = 4 # x is of type int

x = "Sally" # x is now of type str

print(x)
 Casting
If you want to specify the data type of a variable, this can be done with casting.

x = str(3) # x will be '3'

y = int(3) # y will be 3

z = float(3) # z will be 3.0

Single or Double Quotes?
If you want to specify the data type of a variable, this can be done with casting.

x = "John"

# is the same as

x = 'John'

Case-Sensitive
a = 4

A = "Sally"

#A will not overwrite a

Variable Names
A variable can have a short name (like x and y) or a more descriptive name (age, carname, total_volume).
Rules for Python variables:

● A variable name must start with a letter or the underscore character

● A variable name cannot start with a number
● A variable name can only contain alpha-numeric characters and underscores (A-z, 0-9, and _ )
● Variable names are case-sensitive (age, Age and AGE are three different variables)
● A variable name cannot be any of the Python keywords.

myvar = "John"

my_var = "John"

_my_var = "John"

myVar = "John"

MYVAR = "John"

myvar2 = "John"
 illegal Variable Names
2myvar = "John"

my-var = "John"

my var = "John"

Remember that variable names are case-sensitive

 ILLEGAL Variable Names
2myvar = "John"

my-var = "John"

my var = "John"

Remember that variable names are case-sensitive

Python Variables - Assign Multiple Values

x, y, z = "Orange", "Banana", "Cherry"

print(x)

print(y)

print(z)
Global Variables
Variables that are created outside of a function (as in all of the examples in the previous pages) are known as
global variables.

Global variables can be used by everyone, both inside of functions and outside.

Create a variable outside of a function, and use it inside the function

x = "awesome"

def myfunc():

print("Python is " + x)

myfunc()
 If you create a variable with the same name inside a function, this variable will be local, and can only be
used inside the function. The global variable with the same name will remain as it was, global and with the
original value.

Create a variable inside a function, with the same name as the global variable

x = "awesome"

def myfunc():

x = "fantastic"

print("Python is " + x)

myfunc()

print("Python is " + x)
In programming, data type is an important concept.

Variables can store data of different types, and different types can do different things.

Python has the following data types built-in by default, in these categories:

Text Type: str

Numeric Types: int, float, complex

Sequence Types: list, tuple, range

Mapping Type: dict

Set Types: set, frozenset

Boolean Type: bool

Binary Types: bytes, bytearray, memoryview

None Type: NoneType

Setting the Specific Data Type
If you want to specify the data type, you can use the following constructor functions:
 Python Modules
Consider a module to be the same as a code library.

A file containing a set of functions you want to include in your application.

 String Concatenation
To concatenate, or combine, two strings you can use the + operator.

a = "Hello"
b = "World"
c = a + b
print(c)

To add a space between them, add a " ":

a = "Hello"
b = "World"
c = a + " " + b
print(c)
 Python Conditions and If statements

Python supports the usual logical conditions from mathematics:

● Equals: a == b
● Not Equals: a != b
● Less than: a < b
● Less than or equal to: a <= b
● Greater than: a > b
● Greater than or equal to: a >= b

These conditions can be used in several ways, most commonly in "if statements" and
loops.

An "if statement" is written by using the if keyword.

a = 33
b = 200
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a")
Indentation
Python relies on indentation (whitespace at the beginning of a line) to define scope in
the code. Other programming languages often use curly-brackets for this purpose.

a = 33
b = 200
if b > a:
print("b is greater than a") # you will get an error
Elif
The elif keyword is Python's way of saying "if the previous conditions were not true,
then try this condition".

a = 33

b = 33

if b > a:

print("b is greater than a")

elif a == b:

print("a and b are equal")

Else
The else keyword catches anything which isn't caught by the preceding conditions.

a = 200

b = 33

if b > a:

print("b is greater than a")

elif a == b:

print("a and b are equal")

else:

print("a is greater than b")

Else
The else keyword catches anything which isn't caught by the preceding conditions.

a = 200

b = 33

if b > a:

print("b is greater than a")

elif a == b:

print("a and b are equal")

else:

print("a is greater than b")