PHP - Finding and removing an XML node via DOM

Question

Can anyone please point out why the PHP below isn't deleting the XML node?

I'm wanting to delete the entire image node that contains the original_number value of 823.

Thanks in advance.

$xml = '<?xml version="1.0"?>
<property> 
    <edited>true</edited> 
    <images> 
        <image> 
            <is_required><![CDATA[true]]></is_required> 
            <original_number><![CDATA[823]]></original_number> 
        </image>

        <image> 
            <is_required><![CDATA[true]]></is_required> 
            <original_number><![CDATA[555]]></original_number> 
        </image>
</images>
</property>';

$originalNumberToDelete = 823;

$dom = new DOMDocument();
$dom->loadXML( $xml->asXML(), LIBXML_NOBLANKS );
$dom->formatOutput = true;

$xpath = new DOMXPath($dom);
foreach( $xpath->query("property/images/image[original_number='".$originalNumberToDelete."']") as $node) {
$node->parentNode->removeChild($node);
}

echo $dom->saveXML();

what is happening? error message?

michi
– michi

2016-03-14 21:07:51 +00:00
Commented Mar 14, 2016 at 21:07 — michi
– michi, Commented Mar 14, 2016 at 21:07

The fourth bird · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-14 20:37:47Z

1

Maybe a possible solution is to change

$dom->loadXML( $xml->asXML(), LIBXML_NOBLANKS );

to

$dom->loadXML( $xml, LIBXML_NOBLANKS );

Then start your xpath expression with a double forward slash:

$xml = '<?xml version="1.0"?>
<property>
    <edited>true</edited>
    <images>
        <image>
            <is_required><![CDATA[true]]></is_required>
            <original_number><![CDATA[823]]></original_number>
        </image>

        <image>
            <is_required><![CDATA[true]]></is_required>
            <original_number><![CDATA[555]]></original_number>
        </image>
</images>
</property>';

$originalNumberToDelete = 823;

$dom = new DOMDocument();
$dom->loadXML( $xml, LIBXML_NOBLANKS );
$dom->formatOutput = true;

$xpath = new DOMXPath($dom);
foreach( $xpath->query("//property/images/image[original_number='".$originalNumberToDelete."']") as $node) {
    $node->parentNode->removeChild($node);
}

echo $dom->saveXML();

Demo

answered Mar 14, 2016 at 20:37

The fourth bird

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2 Comments

crooksy88 Over a year ago

Thank you. Either single or double slash fixes the issue.

michi Over a year ago

that's why I'm a fan of explanations in answers - besides code.

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