Accessing multi-dimensional array object created with simplexml_load_file in PHP returns null? [duplicate]

Question

I have a RSS object $rssObject created using the PHP simplexml_load_file function, the goal is to get the value of [href].

var_dump($rssObject) returns the following:

Array
(
    [0] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
            [link] => Array
                (
                    [0] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                        (
                            [@attributes] => Array
                                (
                                    [href] => https://www.example.com
                                )

                        )

I have tried unsuccessfully to get the contents of [href] using this notation which returns null

$rssObject[0]->link[0]->{'@attributes'}['href'];

Why is this?

Why has this been down-voted? Please see answer, it justified this question when the var_dump is outputting a misleading output! — Mohammad
– Mohammad, Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 10:01
Yeah, this is a very common confusion, and we should really have a canonical answer explaining it. — IMSoP
– IMSoP, Commented Jul 14, 2017 at 11:36

cweiske · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-14 09:49:17Z

2

In SimpleXML, attributes are accessed using array notation:

$xml = simplexml_load_file();
$url = $xml[0]->link[0]['href'];

See "Example #5 Using attributes" in the PHP manual.

answered Jul 14, 2017 at 9:49

cweiske

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2 Comments

Mohammad Over a year ago

Hi can you explain why I don't have to use [@attributes] as a key?

cweiske Over a year ago

The var_dump representation you see is .. a lie. SimpleXML does some magic, and you have to adhere to its rules.

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