Make XML element comparison util more generic

plugins/module_utils/xml_utils.py

@@ -187,17 +187,6 @@ def etree_to_dict(input_etree: Element) -> dict:
     return {input_etree.tag: result}
 
 
-def _is_whitespace_or_none(text) -> bool:
-    """
-    Checks if a given string is a string of whitespace characters or None.
-    Args:
-        text: the string to perform the check on.
-    Returns:
-        bool: True if the 'text' string is None or a whitespace string.
-    """
-    return text is None or text.strip() == ""
-
-
 def elements_equal(e1, e2) -> bool:
     """
     Compare two XML elements for equality.
@@ -216,11 +205,10 @@ def elements_equal(e1, e2) -> bool:
     if len(e1) == 0 and len(e2) == 0:
         # 1. Check if texts are exactly the same (ignoring whitespaces and None)
         # 2. or check if one text is '1' and the other is None with no children
-        return (
-            (_is_whitespace_or_none(e1.text) == _is_whitespace_or_none(e2.text))
-            or (e1.text == "1" and not e2.text and not e2)
-            or (e2.text == "1" and not e1.text and not e1)
-        )
+        e1_text: Optional[str] = "" if e1.text is None else str(e1.text).strip()
+        e2_text: Optional[str] = "" if e2.text is None else str(e2.text).strip()
+
+        return e1_text == e2_text or e1_text == "1" and e2_text == "" or e2_text == "1" and e1_text == ""
 
     # Tags have children
     return all(

tests/unit/plugins/module_utils/test_xml_utils.py

@@ -415,6 +415,21 @@ def test_elements_equal_without_children_whitespace_matches():
     assert xml_utils.elements_equal(e1, e2)
 
 
+def test_elements_equal_str_num_and_int():
+    """
+    Test that elements_equal function considers a string number equal to an integer number
+
+    eg:
+    <test/> == <test>   </test>
+    """
+    e1 = Element("test")
+    e1.text = 1
+    e2 = Element("test")
+    e2.text = "1"
+
+    assert xml_utils.elements_equal(e1, e2)
+
+
 def test_elements_equal_without_children_none_and_1():
     """
     Tests elements_equal function matches a boolean flag "1" the same as an empty element.
@@ -440,10 +455,12 @@ def test_elements_equal_with_children():
     e1c2 = Element("child_2")
     e1c2.text = "some_text_as_well"
     e1.extend([e1c1, e1c2])
+
     e2 = Element("test")
     e2c1 = Element("child_1")
     e2c1.text = "some_text     \n"
     e2c2 = Element("child_2")
-    e2c2.text = "\n   some_text     \n"
+    e2c2.text = "\n   some_text_as_well     \n"
     e2.extend([e2c1, e2c2])
+
     assert xml_utils.elements_equal(e1, e2)