XML Element Formatting (New Lines) and Targeted Insertion

[lxnncrd]

Hello everyone,

I'm working with an XML file and have a couple of questions regarding its manipulation in a programmatic way (I'm open to suggestions regarding programming languages/libraries, but primarily looking for conceptual advice on XML structure and modification).

1. Adding New Elements on Separate Lines (Formatting):
   When I programmatically add new elements to my XML file, they currently all appear on a single line, making the file quite difficult to read.

   <parent><element1/><element2/><element3/></parent>

I want to achieve something like this:

<parent>
    <element1/>
    <element2/>
    <element3/>
</parent>

• Is there a standard or recommended way to ensure that newly added elements are placed on separate lines with appropriate indentation, rather than being appended contiguously? I'm looking for a "pretty print" or "format" functionality during the addition process, or a way to apply it afterwards effectively.

• Targeted Element Insertion within a Cluster:
  I have a specific "cluster" element, let's call it <cluster name="RI">, which contains numerous sub-elements. I need to be able to insert new elements at specific positions within this cluster, not just at the beginning or end.

  For example, if my RI cluster looks like this:

  <cluster name="RI">
      <subElementA/>
      <subElementB/>
      <subElementC/>
      <subElementD/>
  </cluster>

How can I programmatically insert <newElementX/> between <subElementB/> and <subElementC/> to achieve this structure:

<cluster name="RI">
    <subElementA/>
    <subElementB/>
    <newElementX/>
    <subElementC/>
    <subElementD/>
</cluster>

2. What are the common strategies or API methods (e.g., for DOM, SAX, ElementTree, JDOM, etc.) that facilitate inserting an element at an arbitrary position within an existing parent element, specifically when the parent has many children?

Any insights or examples would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help