对大型XML文件使用Python Iterparse

def fast_iter(context,func,*args,**kwargs):
    """
    http://lxml.de/parsing.html#modifying-the-tree
    Based on Liza Daly's fast_iter
    http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-hiperfparse/
    See also http://effbot.org/zone/element-iterparse.htm
    """
    for event,elem in context:
        func(elem,**kwargs)
        # It's safe to call clear() here because no descendants will be
        # accessed
        elem.clear()
        # Also eliminate now-empty references from the root node to elem
        for ancestor in elem.xpath('ancestor-or-self::*'):
            while ancestor.getprevious() is not None:
                del ancestor.getparent()[0]
    del context


def process_element(elem):
    print elem.xpath( 'description/text( )' )

context = etree.iterparse( MYFILE,tag='item' )
fast_iter(context,process_element)

Daly的文章是一个很好的阅读，特别是如果你正在处理大型XML文件。

编辑：上面的fast_iter是Daly的fast_iter的修改版本。在处理元素之后，在移除不再需要的其他元素时更积极。

下面的脚本显示了行为的差异。特别要注意的是，orig_fast_iter不删除A1元素，而mod_fast_iter则删除它，从而节省更多的内存。

import lxml.etree as ET
import textwrap
import io

def setup_ABC():
    content = textwrap.dedent('''
      <root>
        <A1>
          <B1></B1>
          <C>1<D1></D1></C>
          <E1></E1>
        </A1>
        <A2>
          <B2></B2>
          <C>2<D></D></C>
          <E2></E2>
        </A2>
      </root>
        ''')
    return content


def study_fast_iter():
    def orig_fast_iter(context,**kwargs):
        for event,elem in context:
            print('Processing {e}'.format(e=ET.tostring(elem)))
            func(elem,**kwargs)
            print('Clearing {e}'.format(e=ET.tostring(elem)))
            elem.clear()
            while elem.getprevious() is not None:
                print('Deleting {p}'.format(
                    p=(elem.getparent()[0]).tag))
                del elem.getparent()[0]
        del context

    def mod_fast_iter(context,**kwargs):
        """
        http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/xml/library/x-hiperfparse/
        Author: Liza Daly
        See also http://effbot.org/zone/element-iterparse.htm
        """
        for event,**kwargs)
            # It's safe to call clear() here because no descendants will be
            # accessed
            print('Clearing {e}'.format(e=ET.tostring(elem)))
            elem.clear()
            # Also eliminate now-empty references from the root node to elem
            for ancestor in elem.xpath('ancestor-or-self::*'):
                print('Checking ancestor: {a}'.format(a=ancestor.tag))
                while ancestor.getprevious() is not None:
                    print(
                        'Deleting {p}'.format(p=(ancestor.getparent()[0]).tag))
                    del ancestor.getparent()[0]
        del context

    content = setup_ABC()
    context = ET.iterparse(io.BytesIO(content),events=('end',),tag='C')
    orig_fast_iter(context,lambda elem: None)
    # Processing <C>1<D1/></C>
    # Clearing <C>1<D1/></C>
    # Deleting B1
    # Processing <C>2<D/></C>
    # Clearing <C>2<D/></C>
    # Deleting B2

    print('-' * 80)
    """
    The improved fast_iter deletes A1. The original fast_iter does not.
    """
    content = setup_ABC()
    context = ET.iterparse(io.BytesIO(content),tag='C')
    mod_fast_iter(context,lambda elem: None)
    # Processing <C>1<D1/></C>
    # Clearing <C>1<D1/></C>
    # Checking ancestor: root
    # Checking ancestor: A1
    # Checking ancestor: C
    # Deleting B1
    # Processing <C>2<D/></C>
    # Clearing <C>2<D/></C>
    # Checking ancestor: root
    # Checking ancestor: A2
    # Deleting A1
    # Checking ancestor: C
    # Deleting B2

study_fast_iter()