PHP SimpleXML

PHP includes some XML functions. Among them, SimpleXML handles the most common XML tasks and leaves the rest for other extensions.

SimpleXML is able to perform basic tasks like:
  • reading XML files,
  • extracting data from XML strings, and
  • editing text nodes or attributes.
An XML file catalog.xml is on the right. The program below performs the following tasks: 
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
 <catalog>
  <game>
   <title>Super Mario All Stars</title>
   <ASIN>B000050FBJ</ASIN>
   <price>34.99</price>
   <producer>Nintendo</producer>
  </game>
  <game>
   <title>New Super Mario Bros/title>
   <ASIN>B002BRZ9G0</ASIN>
   <price>43.99</price>
   <producer>Nintendo</producer>
  </game>
  <game>
   <title>Super Mario Galaxy</title>
   <ASIN>B002BSA388</ASIN>
   <price>46.37</price>
   <producer>Nintendo</producer>
  </game>
  ...
 </catalog>
  1. Load the XML file by using the function simplexml_load_file.
  2. Get the name of the first element by using the function getName.
  3. Create a loop that will trigger on each child node, using the children function.
  4. Output the element name and data for each child/descendant node. 
 <html><body>
  <?php
    $xml = simplexml_load_file( "" );
    echo  strtoupper( $xml->getName( ) ) . "<br />";
    $no = 0;
    foreach( $xml->children( ) as $child1 ) {
      echo  "<br />Game #" . ++$no . "<br />"; 
      foreach( $child1->children( ) as $child2 )
        if ( $child2->getName( ) != "" )
          echo  $child2->getName( ) . ": <em>" . $child2 . "</em><br />";
    }
  ?>
 </body></html>