Python: Update XML-file using ElementTree while conserving layout as much as possible

Question

I have a document which uses an XML namespace for which I want to increase /group/house/dogs by one: (the file is called houses.xml)

Answer 1

etree from lxml provides this feature.

1. elementTree.write('houses2.xml',encoding = "UTF-8",xml_declaration = True) helps you in not omitting the declaration

2. While writing into the file it does not change the namespaces.

http://lxml.de/parsing.html is the link for its tutorial.

P.S : lxml should be installed separately.