Xml object to string php

Let's say I have some XML like this

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?

Vincent

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asked Jan 6, 2009 at 13:42

Mark BiekMark Biek

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1

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.

answered Jan 6, 2009 at 14:01

Aron RotteveelAron Rotteveel

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6

You can use the PHP function

strval();

This function returns the string values of the parameter passed to it.

answered Feb 4, 2009 at 20:06

1

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

answered Feb 1, 2013 at 6:03

Mixed CaseMixed Case

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3

Another ugly way to do it:

$foo = array( $xml->channel->item->title."" );

It works, but it's not pretty.

answered Aug 13, 2012 at 8:25

MikepoteMikepote

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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.

answered Sep 7, 2016 at 16:24

DJ FarDJ Far

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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", $child); 
}
echo "
\n";
print_r($header);
echo "
";

To get a childs child then just do this:

$data = array();
foreach($xml->data->children() as $child)
{
  $header[$child->getName()] = sprintf("%s", $child); 
}
echo "
\n";
print_r($data);
echo "
";

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.

answered Jul 11, 2011 at 21:27

PetePete

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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"

answered Sep 29, 2017 at 15:40

Eaten by a GrueEaten by a Grue

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Try strval($xml->channel->item->title)

answered Jul 4, 2017 at 15:04

Ariel RuizAriel Ruiz

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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());

answered Nov 23, 2018 at 9:54

Just put the ''. before any variable, it will convert into string.

$foo = array( ''. $xml->channel->item->title );

answered May 3, 2020 at 15:36

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

answered Jul 17, 2017 at 19:26

TonyTony

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