title: Find and Replace Values in XML using Python
body: <p>I am looking to edit XML files using python. I want to find and replace keywords in the tags. In the past, a co-worker had set up template XML files and used a "find and replace" program to replace these key words. I want to use python to find and replace these key words with values. I have been teaching myself the Elementtree module, but I am having trouble trying to do a find and replace. I have attached a snid-bit of my XML file. You will seen some variables surrounded by % (ie %SITEDESCR%) These are the words I want to replace and then save the XML to a new file. Any help or suggestions would be great.</p>
  
  <p>Thanks,
  Mike</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;metadata&gt;
  &lt;idinfo&gt;
  &lt;citation&gt;
  &lt;citeinfo&gt;
   &lt;origin&gt;My Company&lt;/origin&gt;
   &lt;pubdate&gt;05/04/2009&lt;/pubdate&gt;
   &lt;title&gt;POLYGONS&lt;/title&gt;
   &lt;geoform&gt;vector digital data&lt;/geoform&gt;
   &lt;onlink&gt;\\C$\ArcGISDevelopment\Geodatabase\PDA_STD_05_25_2009.gdb&lt;/onlink&gt;
  &lt;/citeinfo&gt;
  &lt;/citation&gt;
   &lt;descript&gt;
   &lt;abstract&gt;This dataset represents the mapped polygons developed from the field data for the %SITEDESCR%.&lt;/abstract&gt;
   &lt;purpose&gt;This dataset was created to accompany some stuff.&lt;/purpose&gt;
   &lt;/descript&gt;
  &lt;timeperd&gt;
  &lt;timeinfo&gt;
  &lt;rngdates&gt;
   &lt;begdate&gt;%begdate%&lt;/begdate&gt;
   &lt;begtime&gt;unknown&lt;/begtime&gt;
   &lt;enddate&gt;%enddate%&lt;/enddate&gt;
   &lt;endtime&gt;unknown&lt;/endtime&gt;
   &lt;/rngdates&gt;
   &lt;/timeinfo&gt;
   &lt;current&gt;ground condition&lt;/current&gt;
   &lt;/timeperd&gt;
  </code></pre>