note 89402 added to function.dom-import-simplexml

SimpleXML is an 'Object Mapping XML API'. It is not DOM, per se. SimpleXML converts the XML elements into PHP's native data types. The dom_import_simplexml and simplexml_import_dom functions do *not* create separate copies of the original object. You are free to use the methods of either or both interchangeably, since the underlying instance is the same. <?php // initialize a simplexml object $sxe = simplexml_load_string('<root/>'); // get a dom interface on the simplexml object $dom = dom_import_simplexml($sxe); // dom adds a new element under the root $element = $dom->appendChild(new DOMElement('dom_element')); // dom adds an attribute on the new element $element->setAttribute('creator', 'dom'); // simplexml adds an attribute on the dom element $sxe->dom_element['sxe_attribute'] = 'added by simplexml'; // simplexml adds a new element under the root $element = $sxe->addChild('sxe_element'); // simplexml adds an attribute on the new element $element['creator'] = 'simplexml'; // dom finds the simplexml element (via DOMNodeList->index) $element = $dom->getElementsByTagName('sxe_element')->item(0); // dom adds an attribute on the simplexml element $element->setAttribute('dom_attribute', 'added by dom'); echo ('<pre>'); print_r($sxe); echo ('</pre>'); ?> Outputs: SimpleXMLElement Object ( [dom_element] => SimpleXMLElement Object ( [@attributes] => Array ( [creator] => dom [sxe_attribute] => added by simplexml ) ) [sxe_element] => SimpleXMLElement Object ( [@attributes] => Array ( [creator] => simplexml [dom_attribute] => added by dom ) ) ) What this illustrates is that both interfaces are operating on the same underlying object instance. Also, when you dom_import_simplexml, you can create and add new elements without reference to an ownerDocument (or documentElement). So passing a SimpleXMLElement to another method does not mean the recipient is limited to using SimpleXML methods. Hey Presto! Your telescope has become a pair of binoculars! ---- Server IP: 69.147.83.197 Probable Submitter: 86.129.181.146 ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.dom-import-simplexml.php Edit -- https://master.php.net/note/edit/89402 Del: integrated -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/89402/integrated Del: useless -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/89402/useless Del: bad code -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/89402/bad+code Del: spam -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/89402/spam Del: non-english -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/89402/non-english Del: in docs -- https://master.php.net/note/delete/89402/in+docs Del: other reasons-- https://master.php.net/note/delete/89402 Reject -- https://master.php.net/note/reject/89402 Search -- https://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php