From: William James <w_a_x_man@...>
Date: 2005-01-23T05:15:55+09:00
Subject: Re: Raw Elements

Here's an improved version:

.. class String
..   # Produces array of nonmatching and matching
..   # substrings. The size of the array will
..   # always be an odd number. The first and the
..   # last item will always be nonmatching.
..   def shatter( re )
..     self.gsub( re, "\1"+'\&'+"\1" ).split("\1")
..   end
..   def xml_parse
..     self.shatter( /<[^>]*>/ )
..   end
..   def get_attr
..     s = self
..     while s =~ /(\w+)="([^"]*)"/m
..       yield( $1, $2 )
..       s = $'
..     end
..   end
..   def tag_name
..     if ( self =~ /^<(\S+)("\n"|\s|>)/ )
..       $1
..     else
..       nil
..     end
..   end
..   def span( tagname )
..     s = self
..     while (s =~ Regexp.new(
..         '(<'+tagname+'.*?>)(.*?)</'+tagname+'>',
..         Regexp::MULTILINE))
..       yield( $1, $2 )
..       s = $'
..     end
..   end
.. end
..
.. s = ''
.. $<.each_line {|x| s=s+x}
.. s.span('programme') { |tag,string|
..   string.span('title') {|junk,title|
..     puts 'Title: ' + title.chomp.gsub(/\n/,' ')
..   }
..   string.span('length') {|tag,len|
..     tag.get_attr {|key,val| @units=val }
..     puts "Length: #{len.chomp} #{@units}"
..   }
.. }

With the input

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<tv><programme start="20041218204000 +1000" stop="20041218225000
+1000" channel="Network TEN Brisbane"><title>The
Frighteners</title><sub-title/><desc>A psychic private detective, who
consorts with deceased souls, becomes engaged in a mystery as members
of the town community begin dying mysteriously.</desc><rating
system="ABA"><value>M</value></rating><length
units="minutes">130</length><category>Horror</category></programme><programme
start="20041218080000 +1000" stop="20041218083000 +1000"
channel="Network TEN Brisbane"><title>Worst Best
Friends</title><sub-title>Better Than Glen</sub-title><desc>Life's
like that for Roger Thesaurus - two of his best friends are also his
worst enemies!</desc><rating
system="ABA"><value>C</value></rating><length
units="minutes">30</length><category>Children</category></programme>

the output is

Title: The Frighteners
Length: 130 minutes
Title: Worst Best Friends
Length: 30 minutes