dicttoxml adds 'b...'

[Jeroendevr]

Describe the bug
Using the function json2xml.dicttoxml.dicttoxml

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Run :

from json2xml.dicttoxml import dicttoxml
obj = {'bike': 'blue'}
xml = dicttoxml(obj=obj ,root=False)
print(xml)

2. See:

b'<bike type="str">blue</bike>'

Expected behavior

<bike type="str">blue</bike>

Screenshots
NA

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• OS: [macOS]
• Python 3.9.12
• json2xml 3.18.0

Additional context
It seems to happen around here:

# dicttoxml.py
# line 445
    if root:
        output.append('<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>')
        output_elem = convert(
            obj, ids, attr_type, item_func, cdata, item_wrap, parent=custom_root
        )
        output.append(f"<{custom_root}{namespacestr}>{output_elem}</{custom_root}>")
    else:
-->     output.append( #adds ' '
            convert(obj, ids, attr_type, item_func, cdata, item_wrap, parent="")
        )

--> return "".join(output).encode("utf-8") #adds b 

[vinitkumar]

The method 'dicttoxml' returns bytes.
You can always decode it to string >>> "".join(output).encode("utf-8").decode("utf-8")

I am not sure if I can do the change without breaking compatibility for other usage of this library.

[Jeroendevr]

Ah good to know. What would be a usage to have the function return it as bytes?
Thanks also for the solution to fix it in my situation.

[vinitkumar]

I think it was probably to not get on the encoding and let user have a say in the decoding it.

[Jeroendevr]

I agree, thanks for the explanation