SimpleXML Object to Array

[dsk3801]

I work with a lot of XML and have found SimpleXML to be a great tool, but often it's easier to have it all in an array form that still maintains the order of elements. I came up with this function -- maybe someone else will find it useful, too.

PHP Code:


function convertXmlObjToArr($obj, &$arr)
{
    $children = $obj->children();
    foreach ($children as $elementName => $node)
    {
        $nextIdx = count($arr);
        $arr[$nextIdx] = array();
        $arr[$nextIdx]['@name'] = strtolower((string)$elementName);
        $arr[$nextIdx]['@attributes'] = array();
        $attributes = $node->attributes();
        foreach ($attributes as $attributeName => $attributeValue)
        {
            $attribName = strtolower(trim((string)$attributeName));
            $attribVal = trim((string)$attributeValue);
            $arr[$nextIdx]['@attributes'][$attribName] = $attribVal;
        }
        $text = (string)$node;
        $text = trim($text);
        if (strlen($text) > 0)
        {
            $arr[$nextIdx]['@text'] = $text;
        }
        $arr[$nextIdx]['@children'] = array();
        convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$nextIdx]['@children']);
    }
    return;
} 


If you have the following XML:

<books>
    <novel author="John Doe"><title>John's Novel</title></novel>
</books>

You'll get an array similar to:

Array
(
    @name => books
    @attributes => array ( )
    @children => array
    (
        array
        (
            @name => novel
            @attributes => array ( author => John Doe )
            @children => array
            (
                array ( @name => title, @attributes => array ( ), @text => John's Novel )
            )
        )
    )
)

[jamessdeveloper]

Hi, can you demonstrate further example, e.g.

a) how do you call the function, do you add arguments to the function?
b) what coding syntax do you use to retrieve the array information.

Thanks ~ James

[dsk3801]

OK... say I have XML like this stored in a file called "books.xml":

<books>
    <novel author="John Doe"><title>John's Novel</title></novel>
    <novel author="Jane Doe"><title>Jane's Novel</title></novel>
    <novel author="Jack Doe"><title>Jack's Novel</title></novel>
</books>

In my PHP code:

PHP Code:

$xmlObject = simplexml_load_file('books.xml');
$xmlArr = array();
convertXmlObjToArr($xmlObject, $xmlArr);

foreach ($xmlArr as $arr)
{
    // outer array is always base element, in this case, books... we need the children
    if (isset($arr['@children']) && is_array($arr['@children']))
    {
        foreach ($arr['@children'] as $novel)
        {
            // the title is actually a child element of novel
            echo 'Title: ' . $novel['@children'][0]['@text'] . '<br />';

            // author is an attribute of the novel tag
            echo 'Author: ' . $novel['@attributes']['author'] . '<br /><br />';
        }
    }
} 


I hope this helps.

[ad34]

Hi There !

I also have a problem with simpleXML , I have to make text of an XML file editable, so I parse XML file with attributes() and children() method to build an HTML form.

the problem is to get data back to xml to regenerate xml file

i have the data in an array with post method

  [obj] => Array
        (
            [content] => Array
                (
                    [@attributes] => Array
                        (
                       
                            [center_title] => test
                        )

                )

...

it is exactly the same that simpleXML object excepts it s an array and not an object

dont know actually how i gonna get the job done

any ideas ?

[dsk3801]

Honestly, I only use this to quickly read in complex XML files (like RSS/ATOM feeds). If I need to manipulate XML and write it back out to the browser or a file, then I will typically use DOM or XMLWriter. You should check them out in the PHP manual as they'll probably suit your needs better.

[Frederic_2008]

Here is my code!
It does not respect attributes but it transformes the Xml to a simpler array. Let me know if you use it or if you find some bugs :-)

function convertXmlObjToArr($obj, &$arr){
    $children = $obj->children();
    $executed = false;
    foreach ($children as $elementName => $node){
        if($arr[$elementName]!=null){
            if($arr[$elementName][0]!==null){
                $i = count($arr[$elementName]);
	            convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$elementName][$i]);    
            }else{
                $tmp = $arr[$elementName];
                $arr[$elementName] = array();
                $arr[$elementName][0] = $tmp;
                $i = count($arr[$elementName]);
	            convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$elementName][$i]);
            }
        }else{
			$arr[$elementName] = array();
			convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$elementName]);   
        }
        $executed = true;
    }
    if(!$executed&&$children->getName()==""){
        $arr = (String)$obj;
    }
    return;
}

[matteo]

The same Frederic_2008 code snippet, but without the warning on

PHP Code:

if($arr[$elementName]!=null){ 


in case the

PHP Code:

$arr[$elementName] is = NULL 


PS: thanks Frederic_2008!

PHP Code:

    /**
     * Parse a SimpleXMLElement object recursively into an Array.
     * Attention: attributes skipped
     *
     *
     * @param $xml The SimpleXMLElement object
     * @param $arr Target array where the values will be stored
     * @return NULL
     */
    private function convertXmlObjToArr( $obj, &$arr )
    {
        $children = $obj->children();
        $executed = false;
        foreach ($children as $elementName => $node)
        {
            if( array_key_exists( $elementName , $arr ) )
            {
                if(array_key_exists( 0 ,$arr[$elementName] ) )
                {
                    $i = count($arr[$elementName]);
                    $this->convertXmlObjToArr ($node, $arr[$elementName][$i]);    
                }
                else
                {
                    $tmp = $arr[$elementName];
                    $arr[$elementName] = array();
                    $arr[$elementName][0] = $tmp;
                    $i = count($arr[$elementName]);
                    $this->convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$elementName][$i]);
                }
            }
            else
            {
                $arr[$elementName] = array();
                $this->convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$elementName]);   
            }
            $executed = true;
        }
        if(!$executed&&$children->getName()=="")
        {
            $arr = (String)$obj;
        }
        
        return ;
    } 


[matteo]

It was so buggy I had to find for another ready-made solution:
This is perfect:
http://us3.php.net/manual/en/class.s...ator.php#92323

Originally Posted by matteo

The same Frederic_2008 code snippet, but without the warning on

PHP Code:

if($arr[$elementName]!=null){ 


in case the

PHP Code:

$arr[$elementName] is = NULL 


PS: thanks Frederic_2008!

PHP Code:

    /**
     * Parse a SimpleXMLElement object recursively into an Array.
     * Attention: attributes skipped
     *
     *
     * @param $xml The SimpleXMLElement object
     * @param $arr Target array where the values will be stored
     * @return NULL
     */
    private function convertXmlObjToArr( $obj, &$arr )
    {
        $children = $obj->children();
        $executed = false;
        foreach ($children as $elementName => $node)
        {
            if( array_key_exists( $elementName , $arr ) )
            {
                if(array_key_exists( 0 ,$arr[$elementName] ) )
                {
                    $i = count($arr[$elementName]);
                    $this->convertXmlObjToArr ($node, $arr[$elementName][$i]);    
                }
                else
                {
                    $tmp = $arr[$elementName];
                    $arr[$elementName] = array();
                    $arr[$elementName][0] = $tmp;
                    $i = count($arr[$elementName]);
                    $this->convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$elementName][$i]);
                }
            }
            else
            {
                $arr[$elementName] = array();
                $this->convertXmlObjToArr($node, $arr[$elementName]);   
            }
            $executed = true;
        }
        if(!$executed&&$children->getName()=="")
        {
            $arr = (String)$obj;
        }
        
        return ;
    }