Cannot loop through XML nodes in PHP

Question

I have a file where I store comments. The file name is comments.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<comment>
  <user>User4251</user>
  <date>02.10.2018</date>
  <text>Comment body goes here</text>
</comment>
<comment>
  <user>User8650</user>
  <date>01.10.2018</date>
  <text>Comment body goes here</text>
</comment>

To loop through the XML tree, I am using the example given at W3Schools (with some modifications to the parameters). The code is contained in index.php:

<?php
  $xml = simplexml_load_file("comments.xml") or die("Error: Cannot create object");
  foreach($xml -> children() as $comments) { 
    echo $comments -> user . ", "; 
    echo $comments -> date . ", "; 
    echo $comments -> text . "<br>";
  }
?>

As per the example, I am expecting:

User4251, 02.10.2018, Comment body goes here
User8650, 02.10.2018, Comment body goes here

However, I am getting three errors:

Warning: simplexml_load_file(): comments.xml:7: parser error : Extra content at the end of the document in 192.168.0.1/users/User8650/index.php on line 2

Warning: simplexml_load_file(): in 192.168.0.1/users/User8650/index.php on line 2

Warning: simplexml_load_file(): ^ in 192.168.0.1/users/User8650/index.php on line 2

Error: Cannot create object

The fourth one is due to the die() statement.

Is the example erroneous or am I going wrong somewhere?

Using $xml -> children() in your loop can mean that it will pick up any child node type, it is usually better to read it with $xml->comment to specify the comment nodes (assuming you have a root node as others have mentioned). — Nigel Ren
– Nigel Ren, Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 19:06
Thanks for your advice. Currently I only have <comment> elements, but I am planning to add more later. — Wais Kamal
– Wais Kamal, Commented Oct 1, 2018 at 19:08

mayersdesign · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-01 19:05:50Z

5

You don't have a valid root element in your XML document. This will work:

<root_example>
 <comment>
   <user>User4251</user>
   <date>02.10.2018</date>
   <text>Comment body goes here</text>
  </comment>
  <comment>
   <user>User8650</user>
   <date>01.10.2018</date>
   <text>Comment body goes here</text>
 </comment>
</root_example>

edited Oct 1, 2018 at 19:05

answered Oct 1, 2018 at 19:02

mayersdesign

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3 Comments

Wais Kamal Over a year ago

Never thought it is as simple as that :)

mayersdesign Over a year ago

It never is haha. I guess "comments" would be a decent name for a container here.

Wais Kamal Over a year ago

Yes, I added it as <comments>.

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