Forcing a SimpleXML Object to a string, regardless of context
PhpXmlSimplexmlPhp Problem Overview
Let's say I have some XML like this
<channel>
<item>
<title>This is title 1</title>
</item>
</channel>
The code below does what I want in that it outputs the title as a string
$xml = simplexml_load_string($xmlstring);
echo $xml->channel->item->title;
Here's my problem. The code below doesn't treat the title as a string in that context so I end up with a SimpleXML object in the array instead of a string.
$foo = array( $xml->channel->item->title );
I've been working around it like this
$foo = array( sprintf("%s",$xml->channel->item->title) );
but that seems ugly.
What's the best way to force a SimpleXML object to a string, regardless of context?
Php Solutions
Solution 1 - Php
Typecast the SimpleXMLObject to a string:
$foo = array( (string) $xml->channel->item->title );
The above code internally calls __toString()
on the SimpleXMLObject. This method is not publicly available, as it interferes with the mapping scheme of the SimpleXMLObject, but it can still be invoked in the above manner.
Solution 2 - Php
You can use the PHP function
strval();
This function returns the string values of the parameter passed to it.
Solution 3 - Php
There is native SimpleXML method SimpleXMLElement::asXML Depending on parameter it writes SimpleXMLElement to xml 1.0 file or just to a string:
$xml = new SimpleXMLElement($string);
$validfilename = '/temp/mylist.xml';
$xml->asXML($validfilename); // to a file
echo $xml->asXML(); // to a string
Solution 4 - Php
Another ugly way to do it:
$foo = array( $xml->channel->item->title."" );
It works, but it's not pretty.
Solution 5 - Php
The accepted answer actually returns an array containing a string, which isn't exactly what OP requested (a string). To expand on that answer, use:
$foo = [ (string) $xml->channel->item->title ][0];
Which returns the single element of the array, a string.
Solution 6 - Php
To get XML data into a php array you do this:
// this gets all the outer levels into an associative php array
$header = array();
foreach($xml->children() as $child)
{
$header[$child->getName()] = sprintf("%s", $child);
}
echo "<pre>\n";
print_r($header);
echo "</pre>";
To get a childs child then just do this:
$data = array();
foreach($xml->data->children() as $child)
{
$header[$child->getName()] = sprintf("%s", $child);
}
echo "<pre>\n";
print_r($data);
echo "</pre>";
You can expand $xml-> through each level until you get what you want You can also put all the nodes into one array without the levels or just about any other way you want it.
Solution 7 - Php
Not sure if they changed the visibility of the __toString()
method since the accepted answer was written but at this time it works fine for me:
var_dump($xml->channel->item->title->__toString());
OUTPUT:
string(15) "This is title 1"
Solution 8 - Php
Try strval($xml->channel->item->title)
Solution 9 - Php
There is native SimpleXML method SimpleXMLElement::asXML Depending on parameter it writes SimpleXMLElement to xml 1.0 file, Yes
$get_file= read file from path;
$itrate1=$get_file->node;
$html = $itrate1->richcontent->html;
echo $itrate1->richcontent->html->body->asXML();
print_r((string) $itrate1->richcontent->html->body->asXML());
Solution 10 - Php
Just put the ''. before any variable, it will convert into string.
$foo = array( ''. $xml->channel->item->title );
Solution 11 - Php
The following is a recursive function that will typecast all single-child elements to a String
:
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// FUNCTION - CLEAN SIMPLE XML OBJECT
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function cleanSimpleXML($xmlObject = ''){
// LOOP CHILDREN
foreach ($xmlObject->children() as $child) {
// IF CONTAINS MULTIPLE CHILDREN
if(count($child->children()) > 1 ){
// RECURSE
$child = cleanSimpleXML($child);
}else{
// CAST
$child = (string)$child;
}
}
// RETURN CLEAN OBJECT
return $xmlObject;
} // END FUNCTION