def as_xml(self, tag=None):
"""
Return an XML element representing ``self``. The element has
tag ``tag``, or if that is omitted (or ``None``), the
``xml_default_tag`` attribute of ``self``'s class.
"""
tag = tag or self.xml_default_tag
instance_td = Instance(self.__class__) # TODO: Cache this t.d. in class?
return instance_td.xml_element(self, tag, [tag])
def serialize(obj, tag):
"""
Entry point function to serialize a Python object to an XML element.
:param obj: Python object to serialize
:type obj: instance of class having ``xml_descriptor`` attribute
:return: XML element, as instance of :class:`etree.Element`.
"""
instance_td = Instance(obj.__class__)
return instance_td.xml_element(obj, tag)
def deserialize(cls, elt, expected_tag):
"""
Entry point function to deserialize a Python object from an XML element.
:param cls: class of object to deserialize
:param elt: XML element
:type elt: :class:`etree.Element`
:return: instance of class ``cls``.
"""
instance_td = Instance(cls)
return instance_td.extract_from(elt, expected_tag)
