# lxml.etree.XMLSyntaxError using python3.6 **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [October 1, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940 "2020-10-01T12:37:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![angelo\_coluni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@angelo\_coluni](https://forum.ansible.com/u/angelo_coluni)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/1 "2020-10-01T12:37:46Z")
Setup: ansible 2.9.13 config file = /etc/ansible/ansible.cfg configured module search path = [‘/root/.ansible/plugins/modules’, ‘/usr/share/ansible/plugins/modules’] ansible python module location = /usr/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ansible executable location = /usr/bin/ansible python version = 3.6.8 (default, Dec 5 2019, 15:45:45) [GCC 8.3.1 20191121 (Red Hat 8.3.1-5)] installed lxml-4.5.2 ncclient-0.6.9 Having an issue in ansible when using module netconf\_rpc, the following error occurs, however when I change interpreter\_python = /usr/bin/python2.7 error is not present Any reason what can be causing this issue thanks… \<10.10.10.10\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘/usr/bin/python3.6 /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-9652MobtmE/ansible-tmp-1601554935.02-9754-119778420816035/AnsiballZ\_netconf\_rpc.py && sleep 0’ \<10.10.10.10\> EXEC /bin/sh -c ‘rm -f -r /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-9652MobtmE/ansible-tmp-1601554935.02-9754-119778420816035/ \> /dev/null 2\>&1 && sleep 0’ The full traceback is: Traceback (most recent call last): File “/root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-9652MobtmE/ansible-tmp-1601554935.02-9754-119778420816035/AnsiballZ\_netconf\_rpc.py”, line 102, in \_ansiballz\_main() File “/root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-9652MobtmE/ansible-tmp-1601554935.02-9754-119778420816035/AnsiballZ\_netconf\_rpc.py”, line 94, in \_ansiballz\_main invoke\_module(zipped\_mod, temp\_path, ANSIBALLZ\_PARAMS) File “/root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-9652MobtmE/ansible-tmp-1601554935.02-9754-119778420816035/AnsiballZ\_netconf\_rpc.py”, line 40, in invoke\_module runpy.run\_module(mod\_name=‘ansible.modules.network.netconf.netconf\_rpc’, init\_globals=None, run\_name=‘ **main** ’, alter\_sys=True) File “/usr/lib64/python3.6/runpy.py”, line 205, in run\_module return \_run\_module\_code(code, init\_globals, run\_name, mod\_spec) File “/usr/lib64/python3.6/runpy.py”, line 96, in \_run\_module\_code mod\_name, mod\_spec, pkg\_name, script\_name) File “/usr/lib64/python3.6/runpy.py”, line 85, in _run\_code exec(code, run\_globals) File “/tmp/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload\_t8kmcb46/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload.zip/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf\_rpc.py”, line 264, in File “/tmp/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload\_t8kmcb46/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload.zip/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf\_rpc.py”, line 246, in main File “/tmp/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload\_t8kmcb46/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload.zip/ansible/module\_utils/network/common/netconf.py”, line 141, in remove\_namespaces File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ncclient/xml_.py", line 174, in **init** self.\_\_doc = self.remove\_namespaces(self.\__result) File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ncclient/xml_.py", line 222, in remove\_namespaces parser=self.\_\_parser))), File “src/lxml/etree.pyx”, line 3521, in lxml.etree.parse File “src/lxml/parser.pxi”, line 1876, in lxml.etree.\_parseDocument File “src/lxml/parser.pxi”, line 1896, in lxml.etree.\_parseMemoryDocument File “src/lxml/parser.pxi”, line 1777, in lxml.etree.\_parseDoc File “src/lxml/parser.pxi”, line 1082, in lxml.etree.\_BaseParser.\_parseUnicodeDoc File “src/lxml/parser.pxi”, line 615, in lxml.etree.\_ParserContext.\_handleParseResultDoc File “src/lxml/parser.pxi”, line 725, in lxml.etree.\_handleParseResult File “src/lxml/parser.pxi”, line 654, in lxml.etree.\_raiseParseError File “”, line 1 lxml.etree.XMLSyntaxError: Start tag expected, ‘\<’ not found, line 1, column 1 ---
**Author:** ![Dick\_Visser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d9b06d/32.png) [@Dick\_Visser](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Dick_Visser)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/2 "2020-10-01T12:49:42Z")
The netconf\_rpc module does not require lxml, but jxmlease instead. Make sure that is installed (as per docs [https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/netcommon/netconf\_rpc\_module.html#requirements](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/latest/collections/ansible/netcommon/netconf_rpc_module.html#requirements)). This is true for both of your python environments. Probably 'pip list' will show it's installed, while 'pip3 list' won't. DIck ---
**Author:** ![angelo\_coluni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@angelo\_coluni](https://forum.ansible.com/u/angelo_coluni)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/3 "2020-10-01T15:41:27Z")
jxmlease is required if we want to display and store response in json, however if we want output to be xml we need lxml issue seems to be in removing name space from rpc reply , this could be ansible issue thanks ex: ---
**Author:** ![ganeshrn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/ganeshrn/32/1021_2.png) [@ganeshrn](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ganeshrn)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 3:58pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/4 "2020-10-01T15:58:04Z")
It looks like it is failing while parsing the response. Please enable the persistent logging to identify exactly which RPC response is failing Refer:[https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/network/user\_guide/network\_debug\_troubleshooting.html#enabling-networking-device-interaction-logging](https://docs.ansible.com/ansible/devel/network/user_guide/network_debug_troubleshooting.html#enabling-networking-device-interaction-logging) ---
**Author:** ![angelo\_coluni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@angelo\_coluni](https://forum.ansible.com/u/angelo_coluni)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/5 "2020-10-01T18:44:30Z")
Here is the output..I cannot see any issue thanks 2020-10-01 14:08:46,140 p=862827 u=root n=ncclient.transport.ssh | [host 10.212.12.16 session-id 148] Received message from host 2020-10-01 14:08:46,141 p=862827 u=root n=ansible | jsonrpc response: {"jsonrpc": "2.0", "id": "d9df6042-c78a-486a-b9c3-6e2b38083fb6", "result": "\\\\212\\\e9fa6779-c667-4733-8db2-61f904b8205e\\aj08025933-upf-31u\\\\ab48b157-fd08-46af-9355-5384e90979b4\\ak18000735-leaf-29u\\\\1c6e769f-02f0-41f7-a0f5-957d54d6e788\\controller-1\\\\"} 2020-10-01 14:08:46,161 p=862943 u=root n=ansible | \<10.212.12.16\> EXEC /bin/sh -c 'rm -f -r /root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-862814\_qg5scng/ansible-tmp-1601575725.3798058-862943-225523550103615/ > /dev/null 2\>&1 && sleep 0' 2020-10-01 14:08:46,174 p=862814 u=root n=ansible | The full traceback is: Traceback (most recent call last):   File "/root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-862814\_qg5scng/ansible-tmp-1601575725.3798058-862943-225523550103615/AnsiballZ\_netconf\_rpc.py", line 102, in \     \_ansiballz\_main()   File "/root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-862814\_qg5scng/ansible-tmp-1601575725.3798058-862943-225523550103615/AnsiballZ\_netconf\_rpc.py", line 94, in \_ansiballz\_main     invoke\_module(zipped\_mod, temp\_path, ANSIBALLZ\_PARAMS)   File "/root/.ansible/tmp/ansible-local-862814\_qg5scng/ansible-tmp-1601575725.3798058-862943-225523550103615/AnsiballZ\_netconf\_rpc.py", line 40, in invoke\_module     runpy.run\_module(mod\_name='ansible.modules.network.netconf.netconf\_rpc', init\_globals=None, run\_name='\_\_main\_\_', alter\_sys=True)   File "/usr/lib64/python3.6/runpy.py", line 205, in run\_module     return \_run\_module\_code(code, init\_globals, run\_name, mod\_spec)   File "/usr/lib64/python3.6/runpy.py", line 96, in \_run\_module\_code     mod\_name, mod\_spec, pkg\_name, script\_name)   File "/usr/lib64/python3.6/runpy.py", line 85, in \_run\_code     exec(code, run\_globals)   File "/tmp/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload\_ci30aiuw/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload.zip/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf\_rpc.py", line 264, in \   File "/tmp/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload\_ci30aiuw/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload.zip/ansible/modules/network/netconf/netconf\_rpc.py", line 246, in main   File "/tmp/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload\_ci30aiuw/ansible\_netconf\_rpc\_payload.zip/ansible/module\_utils/network/common/netconf.py", line 141, in remove\_namespaces   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ncclient/xml\_.py", line 174, in \_\_init\_\_     self.\_\_doc = self.remove\_namespaces(self.\_\_result)   File "/usr/local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ncclient/xml\_.py", line 222, in remove\_namespaces     parser=self.\_\_parser))),   File "src/lxml/etree.pyx", line 3467, in lxml.etree.parse   File "src/lxml/parser.pxi", line 1856, in lxml.etree.\_parseDocument   File "src/lxml/parser.pxi", line 1876, in lxml.etree.\_parseMemoryDocument   File "src/lxml/parser.pxi", line 1757, in lxml.etree.\_parseDoc   File "src/lxml/parser.pxi", line 1068, in lxml.etree.\_BaseParser.\_parseUnicodeDoc   File "src/lxml/parser.pxi", line 601, in lxml.etree.\_ParserContext.\_handleParseResultDoc   File "src/lxml/parser.pxi", line 711, in lxml.etree.\_handleParseResult   File "src/lxml/parser.pxi", line 640, in lxml.etree.\_raiseParseError   File "\", line 1 lxml.etree.XMLSyntaxError: Start tag expected, '\<' not found, line 1, column 1 ---
**Author:** ![ganeshrn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/ganeshrn/32/1021_2.png) [@ganeshrn](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ganeshrn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 8:00am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/6 "2020-10-06T08:00:33Z")
It seems to be an issue within Ansible while trying to remove namespace from received XML response. Please check it the PR [https://github.com/ansible-collections/ansible.netcommon/pull/152](https://github.com/ansible-collections/ansible.netcommon/pull/152) fixes the issue you are seeing. ---
**Author:** ![ganeshrn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/ganeshrn/32/1021_2.png) [@ganeshrn](https://forum.ansible.com/u/ganeshrn)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 8:56am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/7 "2020-10-06T08:56:08Z")
It seems to be an issue within Ansible while trying to remove the namespace from received XML response. Please check it the PR [https://github.com/ansible-collections/ansible.netcommon/pull/152](https://github.com/ansible-collections/ansible.netcommon/pull/152) fixes the issue you are seeing. ---
**Author:** ![angelo\_coluni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@angelo\_coluni](https://forum.ansible.com/u/angelo_coluni)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2020, 11:31pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/lxml-etree-xmlsyntaxerror-using-python3-6/33940/8 "2020-10-06T23:31:24Z")
HI Ganesh, I have verified the patch and its working, again thanks for following up on issue ref : lxml.etree.XMLSyntaxError: using python3.6 (#72093)