# How can I read a xml file to extract the data using Python

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/how-can-i-read-a-xml-file-to-extract-the-data-using-python/5922>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [June 5, 2024, 3:32pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/how-can-i-read-a-xml-file-to-extract-the-data-using-python/5922 "2024-06-05T15:32:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jose\_Funes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/22d042/32.png) [@Jose\_Funes](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Jose_Funes)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 3:32pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/how-can-i-read-a-xml-file-to-extract-the-data-using-python/5922/1 "2024-06-05T15:32:32Z")

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How can I read a xml file to extract the data using python? I am having memory issues in R and I think Python has more options to handle large files. Thanks in advance

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**Author:** ![Isabel\_Pastoor](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/isabel_pastoor/32/788_2.png) [@Isabel\_Pastoor](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Isabel_Pastoor)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 6:23pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/how-can-i-read-a-xml-file-to-extract-the-data-using-python/5922/2 "2024-06-05T18:23:50Z")

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The Python package [ipumspy](https://ipumspy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html) can be used to read IPUMS data into a Pandas frame. [See this page for sample code](https://ipumspy.readthedocs.io/en/latest/reading_data.html) to read a fixed-width or .csv IPUMS extract data file into Python using an IPUMS .xml DDI file.

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**Author:** ![Jose\_Funes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/22d042/32.png) [@Jose\_Funes](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Jose_Funes)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/how-can-i-read-a-xml-file-to-extract-the-data-using-python/5922/3 "2024-06-05T18:54:40Z")

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Thanks Isabel for your prompt response!