php eval function does not like colons

Question

I am using eval to create an associative array from php built in xml parser (not a fan of how the array is setup). The particular XML I am using is a response from First Data and the tags and attributes both have colons which the eval function seems to really dislike.

I have tried escaping the colons but eval is mad about the slashes (and escaped slashes). What would be a good way to go about prepping the strings for the eval function?

function get_XML_Array($XML) {

    $error = true ;

    $parser = xml_parser_create() ;

    xml_parse_into_struct($parser, $XML, $set) ;

    xml_parser_free($parser);

    include_once(DIR_ROOT . "Tools/escape_Colon.php") ;

    if($error){echo_Array($set);}

    foreach($set as $key => $value) {
        foreach($set[$key] as $key_2 => $value_2){
            $set[$key][$key_2] = escape_Colon($value_2) ;
            foreach($set[$key]['attributes'] as $key_3 => $value_3){
                $set[$key]['attributes'] = escape_Colon($value_3) ;
            }
        }
    }

    $Array = array();
    $arr_str = '$Array' ;
    $arr_str_i = '$Array' ;
    $inc = 0 ;

    $level = 1 ;

    foreach($set as $key => $value) {
        if($set[$key]['level'] >= $level){
            $arr_str_i .= '[\''.$set[$key]['tag'].'\']' ;
            if(!preg_match('/^(\s)*$/', $set[$key]['value'])){
                $str = '$inc = '.$arr_str_i.'[\'increment\'] ;' ;
                eval($str) ;
                $str = $arr_str_i.'[\'value\'][\''.($inc?$inc:0).'\'] = \''.$set[$key]['value'].'\';' ;
                eval($str) ;
                $str = $arr_str_i.'[\'increment\']++ ;' ;
                eval($str) ;
            }
                foreach($set[$key]['attributes'] as $att_key => $att_value){
                    $str = $arr_str_i.'[\'attributes\'][\''.$att_key.'\'] = \''.$att_value.'\';' ;
                    eval($str) ;
                }

            if($set[$key+1]['level'] >= $level){
                $arr_str = $arr_str_i ;
            }
            }elseif($set[$key]['level'] == 1){
            $arr_str = '$Array' ;
            $arr_str_i = '$Array' ;
            $level = 1 ;
            $arr_str_i .= '['.$set[$key]['tag'].']' ;           
        }else{
            $level = $set[$key]['level'] ;
            $arr_str_i = $arr_str ;
        }

    $level++ ;
    }

    return $Array ;
}

?>

There is no reason (well, hardly) to ever use eval. (eval=evil) — GolezTrol
– GolezTrol, Commented Jun 2, 2011 at 18:08
It comes from JS, but it applies here: eval is evil, there's no reason you can't doing this directly instead of through eval. — Rudu
– Rudu, Commented Jun 2, 2011 at 18:08
Ok .. that code does not make any sense to me at all. What are you trying to do? Parse the XML to PHP? Why not use one of the built in XML parsers? — Halcyon
– Halcyon, Commented Jun 2, 2011 at 18:09
@GolezTrol @Rudu +1 I completely agree - the use of eval() in this script seems to be completely unnecessary. — Tadeck
– Tadeck, Commented Jun 2, 2011 at 18:14

Tadeck · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-02 18:12:17Z

2

Do not use eval(). As far as I see, everything from eval() can be replaced with the proper PHP code. For example:

$str = $arr_str_i.'[\'attributes\'][\''.$att_key.'\'] = \''.$att_value.'\';' ;
eval($str) ;

can be replaced with:

$Array['attributes'][$att_key] = $att_value;

so why do you want to complicate your life too much? IDE will help you (eg. by showing data types) if you just follow the usual, best way.

answered Jun 2, 2011 at 18:12

Tadeck

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3 Comments

Magic Lasso Over a year ago

The problem is $arr_str_i changes the value according to what array key foreach is currently on. Is there a way to turn $arr_str_i into the associated variable name? Cuz then this would be a good solution.

Tadeck Over a year ago

@Magic I see that actually the code in my answer does not correspond to what you are doing, but this is the outcome of using eval() - the visibility suffers. Just structure your code in a better way and you will achieve what you need. But never use eval() in such cases, please. And yes, go back to using "simple PHP" instead of complicating the code unnecessarily.

Tadeck Over a year ago

@Magic I think that the solution to your question from new version of the comment is as simple as $arr_str_i = $arr_str[$set[$key]['tag']]; :) Or similar - the question is not specific enough.

Rudu · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-02 18:18:41Z

0

It comes from JS, but it applies here: eval is evil, there's no reason you can't doing this directly instead of through eval.

On the other hand it sounds like the features of SimpleXML in php would be a better choice for you see simplexml_load_string.

answered Jun 2, 2011 at 18:18

Rudu

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3 Comments

Magic Lasso Over a year ago

I think the answer is in this somewhere but I really dont know where (yet). Hopefully I can dig something up in simpleXML.

Rudu Over a year ago

Well simpleXML will transform XML into an object in a structure similar to what you're doing above... I think, as a few have said it's a tad tricky to complete understand ;)

Magic Lasso Over a year ago

Yea i think the reason its a pain to understand is because xml_parse_into_struct creates such a weird array. I really didnt want to bog the question down with a post of an example but Im really sure you guys would get it pretty quick if you could see an example array :P

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