How to parse XML in PHP?

HelloWorld · #1 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 06:07 PM

Does anybody know how to do this...? and how it works..? thanx a lot

TeraTask · #2 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 06:25 PM

I use the PEAR XML parser. Here's a snippet of code:

PHP Code:

  $xml_data = file_get_contents("http://www.xmlsource.com/");
$xml_parser = new PEAR_XMLParser();
$xml_parse_response = $xml_parser->parse($xml_data);
$xml_details = $xml_parser->getData();

HelloWorld · #3 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 07:14 PM

what does it return?

can I use below XML:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<playlist version="1" xmlns="http://xspf.org/ns/0/">
	<trackList>

		<track>
			<title>Streamline</title>
			<creator>Newton</creator>
			<location>test1</location>
			<image>test1a</image>
		</track>
		
		<track>
			<title>LSE</title>
			<creator>Hello</creator>
			<location>test2</location>
			<image>test2a</image>
		</track>

	</trackList>
</playlist>

Btw, I want to parse it one by one so that I can store it back to array...? if possible.. so:

$title[0] will give me Streamline..

something like that

TeraTask · #4 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 07:32 PM

Yes, it will parse that. It returns an array. Try it! Remember, you can always use var_dump or print_r to see the structure of the returned object.

HelloWorld · #5 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 08:27 PM

yeah, i saw an example of print_r, it seems like it returns some kind of an array, but not sure on how to access the array lol... sorry, I'm new at PHP

*gotta figure things out*

HelloWorld · #6 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 08:47 PM

TeraTask, can't find

PHP Code:

  $xml_details = $xml_parser->getData();

HelloWorld · #7 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 09:27 PM

This is what I did, and it didn't work..

PHP Code:

  $xml_parser = new XML_Parser();
$result = $xml_parser->setInputFile($fname);
$result = $xml_parser->parse();
print $result[0];

not enough documentation from PEAR

HelloWorld · #8 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 09:57 PM

posted the latest here:

XML_Parse_Into_Struct()

TeraTask · #9 (**permalink**) 10-28-2007, 10:01 PM

Hmmm...I'm not sure that here is the best place to reiterate how to use PEAR, but you should make sure that the libraries are available, include them, and whenever saying "it didn't work", go back and delete that phrase and include the specific error message. "It didn't work" is a taboo when reporting problems - it communicates nothing. Programs don't "just not work", they throw errors, fail to return a result, crash, ... they do something. "It didn't work" is an assertion of the negative (a non-existent), but programs always do something and act accordingly which is an assertion of something positive (something which is existent). For instance, what you say here is not true: it did work (in the sense that something was done, not that your intentions were completed) and an error was thrown. Very likely it was that the XML_Parser class is not defined. That would be because you need to either install the module or download a local copy. Instructions on how to do that are at PEAR :: Manual :: Installation . I see you've done some additional experimenting while I was composing this, so I'll end it here.