"not well-formed (invalid token): " error for trying to parse an XML file

Question

I am having this error. I am trying to access an xmlfile called "people-kb.xml".

I am having the problem on a line known as: xmldoc = minidom.parse(xmlfile) #Accesses file.

xmldoc is "people-kb.xml" which is passed into a method such as:

parseXML('people-kb.xml')

So the problem I was having came from the save file I had created as I was trying to make a multiple trials that would contain information on two people. for now I only have one trial included and not multiple yet as I am starting with creating the file and after I would edit if it already exists. the code for making the file is:

import xml.etree.cElementTree as ET

def saveXML(xmlfile):
    root = ET.Element("Simulation")
    ET.SubElement(root, "chaserStartingCoords").text = "1,1"
    ET.SubElement(root, "runnerStartingCoords").text = "9,9"

    doc = ET.SubElement(root, "trail")
    ET.SubElement(doc, "number").text = "1"
    doc1 = ET.SubElement(doc, "number", name="number").text = "1" #Trying to make multiple trials

    ET.SubElement(doc1, "chaserEndCoords").text = "10,10"
    ET.SubElement(doc1, "runnerInitialCoords").text = "10,10"
    tree = ET.ElementTree(root)
    tree.write(xmlfile)

if __name__ == '__main__':
        saveXML('output.xml')

Where it says "number" I am trying to make it the amount of trials it would be. So what I am trying to make it expect is an output like this:

<simulation>
  <chaserStartingCoords>1,1<chaserStartingCoords>
  <runnerStartingCoords>9,9<runnerStartingoords>
  <trial>
     <number>1</number>
     <move number="1">
       <chaserEndcoords>10,10<chaserEndCoords>
       <runnerInitialCoords>10,10<runnerInitialCoords>
       </move>
  </trial>
</simulation>

I've been having a problem trying to get the <move number="1"> part as later I expect to be able to go into the file and iterate through each node called "move" to check positions.

Answer 1

You say "when trying to name a node of the file, it shows a red highlight on "1" "

That suggests you're trying to use "1", or something beginning with "1", as an element or attribute name, which would be invalid.