Wrap array around SimpleXML object

Question

I do receive XML results from a web service which I read as SimpleXML elements. Now there's the situation that results can differ depending on the configuration delivered by the web service.

The point is: I'd like to wrap an array around the SimpleXML object in "Situation 2" so I do not have to differentiate between "config as SimpleXML object inside array" and "config as SimpleXML object" when processing the data later on. I've been looking&thinking for a solution for some time, but as of now I couldn't figure anything out.

Situation 1: Multiple SimpleXML Elements inside an array are returned

["myConfig"]=>
array(2) {
  [0]=>
  object(SimpleXMLElement)#41 (5) {
    ["id"]=>
    string(1) "1"
    ["type"]=>
    string(1) "4"
    ["comment"]=>
    string(2) "foobar"
    ["name"]=>
    string(1) "test"
    ["attribute"]=>
    string(5) "value"
  }
  [1]=>
  object(SimpleXMLElement)#42 (5) {
    ["id"]=>
    string(1) "4"
    ["type"]=>
    string(1) "2"
    ["comment"]=>
    string(8) "twobar"
    ["name"]=>
    string(10) "test2"
    ["attribute"]=>
    string(5) "value"
  }
}

Situation 2: Config only contains one SimpleXML element, no array returned by web service

 ["myConfig"]=>
object(SimpleXMLElement)#41 (5) {
  ["id"]=>
  string(1) "1"
  ["type"]=>
  string(1) "4"
  ["comment"]=>
  string(2) "foobar"
  ["name"]=>
  string(1) "test"
  ["attribute"]=>
  string(5) "value"
}

Target for situation 2: I would like to create the following out of "Situation 2" on server-side, before continuing to work with the configuration data:

["myConfig"]=>
array(1) {
  [0]=>
  object(SimpleXMLElement)#41 (5) {
    ["id"]=>
    string(1) "1"
    ["type"]=>
    string(1) "4"
    ["comment"]=>
    string(2) "foobar"
    ["name"]=>
    string(1) "test"
    ["attribute"]=>
    string(5) "value"
  }
}

Check whether myConfig is an array, and if not simply make it one … — C3roe
– C3roe, Commented Apr 28, 2014 at 12:47

mkr · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-28 20:01:50Z

1

I managed to create and array out of the SimpleXML object this way. It's working fine for the moment, but this way I have to convert my SimpleXML object and continue with a PHP array:

// The SimpleXML Object $myConfig is converted to a PHP array
$fooConfig = json_decode(json_encode((array)$myConfig), TRUE);

// Check if ['id'] is a key in ['myConfig'], go through array if true
// and shift key => value pairs as array inside array
if(array_key_exists('id', $fooConfig['myConfig'])) {
    foreach($fooConfig['myConfig'] as $conKey => $conVal) {
        $fooConfig['myConfig'][0][$conKey] = array_shift($fooConfig['myConfig']);
    }
}

answered Apr 28, 2014 at 20:01

mkr

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Comments

hakre · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-08 19:37:17Z

0

This sounds rather trivial:

$test = $fooConfig['myConfig'];

if (is_object($test) && $test instanceof SimpleXMLElement) {
    unset($fooConfig['myConfig']);
    $fooConfig['myConfig'] = array($test);
}

edited May 8, 2014 at 19:37

answered May 7, 2014 at 21:04

hakre

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3 Comments

mkr Over a year ago

It doesn't work for me that way. When using your code in PHP 5.3 I get an error: Warning: It is not yet possible to assign complex types to properties in getConfig.php on line 70

hakre Over a year ago

Right, you need to unset $fooConfig['myConfig'] first before you can set it again in that case. A little oversight of mine, see the edit.

mkr Over a year ago

I think this still isn't working, at least not with SimpleXML. Simply assigning an XML object into the XML structure unfortunately doesn't work (same error). Maybe with a loop, I'll try that out tomorrow. But in general, you gave a nice solution to wrap an array around the object as I requested. Now it's more about putting it back to the right place. Maybe SimpleXML isn't the right thing to work with here.

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