Unable to add Attribute with Namespace Prefix using PHP Simplexml

Question

Trying to edit an XML document that uses Excels XML-Namespaces:

<Workbook xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet" 
          xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet">

I need to get to this result (need the ss: prefix befire Type):

<Cell ...><Data ss:Type="String">value</Data></Cell>

I've looked over the question Unable add namespace with PHPs SimpleXML but this method is not helping here. In other words, running this as outlined there

$data = $cells[$i]->addChild('Data','value'); 
$data->addAttribute("ss:Type","String","urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet");

gives me

<Cell ...><Data Type="String">value</Data></Cell>

without the ss: prefix. And if I remove the urn: prefix, then I'm getting this

<Cell ...><Data xmlns:ss="schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet" ss:Type="String">value</Data></Cell>

In either case, when I open the document with Excel, the data is invisible. With urn: the ss: is missing and without urn: the definition becomes part of the element which is not working in Excel.

I am trying to do the same in java. Can you please help? <br/> stackoverflow.com/questions/11025799/… — U-L
– U-L, Commented Jun 14, 2012 at 18:00

hakre · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-02 14:54:23Z

12

If you want to add an attribute with a specific namespace prefix w/o adding the namespace to the document, you have to specify not only the prefix in the name parameter, but also prefix it again with xmlns, in my example: xmlns:ss:Type. The namespace URI (third parameter) then will be ignored as well, so it is not necessary either:

$data->addAttribute("xmlns:ss:Type", "String");

Note the xmlns: in front of ss:Type. The output then is as required:

<Cell><Data ss:Type="String">value</Data></Cell>

edited May 2, 2013 at 14:54

hakre

200k55 gold badges454 silver badges865 bronze badges

answered Oct 11, 2011 at 19:28

user988201

1611 silver badge6 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Weboide Over a year ago

This helped solved my problem when building Excel files using simplexml in PHP. Thanks a lot.

outis Over a year ago

Note that this doesn't actually set the namespace for the attribute, though the result when serialized with SimpleXMLElement->asXML() is equivalent. Instead, "ss:" is part of the local part of the attribute name. Compare the output of $data->attributes('ss', TRUE) and $data->attributes(). You can also use any prefix, not just "xmlns".

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Unable to add Attribute with Namespace Prefix using PHP Simplexml

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related