import xpath

def _simplifyPath(items):

    items = dict(items)

    try:

        next = cast(str, items['next'])

        require = cast(str, items['require'])

        root = items['path']

    except KeyError, e: raise SyntaxException(e)

    node = root

    while node != None:

        new_node = xpath.get_1(node, next, allow_rooted=False)

        if xpath.get_1(node, require, allow_rooted=False) == None: # empty elem

            xml_dom.replace(node, new_node) # remove current elem

            if node is root: root = new_node # also update root

        node = new_node

    return root

funcs['_simplifyPath'] = _simplifyPath