Get node value with HTML in XML via PHP

Question

My XML looks like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<SHOP>
  <SHOPITEM>
    <ITEM_ID>8</ITEM_ID>
    <PRODUCT>Body EMMER W 12</PRODUCT>
    <DESCRIPTION>
      <p>Test 1
        <br />Good
        <br />Big
        <br />Long
        <br />Works
      </p>
    </DESCRIPTION>
  </SHOPITEM>
</SHOP>

SEE: node DESCRIPTION contains HTML content, these are not another nodes.

Then in PHP I open XML file:

$xml = simplexml_load_file("file1.xml");
foreach($xml->children() as $data) {
  ...
}

Then I want to save some values, so:

$product = array(
  "id" => (string) $data->ITEM_ID,
  "item_name" => (string) $data->PRODUCT,
  "description" => (string) $data->DESCRIPTION
);

But when I print these to the HTML table, description is empty. Reason is, that PHP recognize that <p> element like another node, so there will be no text/value. What should I do?

Into XML description should be save with function 'htmlspecialchars' — Daniel
– Daniel, Commented Oct 24, 2015 at 17:52
I can't edit XMLs and I'm not the one who creates these files. I just have to process them. @anttiviljami found the solution. — Patrik Krehák
– Patrik Krehák, Commented Oct 24, 2015 at 17:54

Antti Kuosmanen · Accepted Answer · 2015-10-24 17:54:36Z

1

Looks like your XML file is actually a mix of HTML and XML, which is a bit messy. The best thing to do here would be to fix this by wrapping the HTML in <![CDATA[""]]> (character data) tags which would enable you to use exactly the PHP script you're trying to use.

So instead of

<DESCRIPTION>
  <p>Test 1
    <br />Good
    <br />Big
    <br />Long
    <br />Works
  </p>
</DESCRIPTION>

You should use

<DESCRIPTION>
  <![CDATA[
    <p>Test 1
      <br />Good
      <br />Big
      <br />Long
      <br />Works
    </p>
  ]]>
</DESCRIPTION>

If editing the xml file isn't an option, you can just to stringify the children with SimpleXMLElement::asXML() like this:

$product = array(
  //...
  "description" => (string) $data->DESCRIPTION->asXML(),
);

EDIT:

Please note that using the latter method, $data->DESCRIPTION->asXML() will include the wrapping <DESCRIPTION> tabs.

edited Oct 24, 2015 at 17:54

answered Oct 24, 2015 at 17:50

Antti Kuosmanen

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1 Comment

Patrik Krehák Over a year ago

You are great! I forgot to say, that I can't edit XMLs, but you answered also to that problem. Thanks a lot!

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