Re: AW: [PEAR-DEV] Package Proposal XML_Parser_Assoc

Stephan Schmidt wrote:

Hi,

The package is XML_Parser_Assoc. It is similar to XML_Unserialize, but it takes a stricter approach, seperating attributes and sub-elements and only giving them in one format, always an array. The package is finished, but very undocumented (I can add more easily). It also includes a few functions to get certain sub-elements out of the resulting PHP array. (Like very simple XPath selecting.)

What can it do that XML_Unserializer can't? Stephan

With this or XML_Unserializer you get nearly the same data. The major difference is that my package will unserialize any XML and give you a usefull array of all data in the XML. XML_Unserializer is mostly to unserialize XML made with XML_Serializer. Even though it can unserialize any XML, it gives a structure which isn't always the same, whereas mine does. What my package specifically does different is: * segregates attributes and sub-elements into different assoc arrays -This is good because attributes are unique while sub-elements are not * Always puts sub-elements into an array. -This allows for one way to access elements instead of multiple ways. You don't have to do an is_array() to see if an element has multiples before you try to access it. You can still access a specific element easily: $subElem = (is_array($elem['subElem']) ? $elem['subElem'][0] : $elem['subElem']) in XML_Unserializer would be $elem['subElements']['subElem'][0] with the new package OR XML_Parser_Assoc::getElement($elem['subElements'], array('subElem')); * CData in an element with sub-elements is picked up, unlike XML_Unserializer Here's an example: <CRUMB ID="1"> <PARAM TYPE="id">

    1

</PARAM> <CRUMB ID="2">

    <PARAM TYPE="id">
      3
    </PARAM>

</CRUMB> <CRUMB ID="3"> </CRUMB> crumb data </CRUMB> become this in XML_Unserilizer: Array ( [param] => 1 [crumb] => Array

    (
      [0] => Array
        (
          [param] => 3
        )

      [1] =>
    )

) Note the lack of the "crumb data" cdata. My package gives you this (it is much larger and more verbose, but it tells you exactly what you have): Array ( [CRUMB] => Array

    (
      [0] => Array
        (
          [name] => CRUMB
          [attributes] => Array
            (
              [ID] => 1
            )

          [data] => crumb data
          [subElements] => Array
            (
              [PARAM] => Array
                (
                  [0] => Array
                    (
                      [name] => PARAM
                      [attributes] => Array
                        (
                          [TYPE] => id
                        )

                      [data] => 1
                      [subElements] => Array
                        (
                        )

                    )

                )

              [CRUMB] => Array
                (
                  [0] => Array
                    (
                      [name] => CRUMB
                      [attributes] => Array
                        (
                          [ID] => 2
                        )

                      [subElements] => Array
                        (
                          [PARAM] => Array
                            (
                              [0] => Array
                                (
                                  [name] => PARAM
                                  [attributes] => Array
                                    (
                                      [TYPE] => id
                                    )

                                  [data] => 3
                                  [subElements] => Array
                                    (
                                    )

                                )

                            )

                        )

                    )

                  [1] => Array
                    (
                      [name] => CRUMB
                      [attributes] => Array
                        (
                          [ID] => 3
                        )

                      [subElements] => Array
                        (
                        )

                    )

                )

            )

        )

    )

) -- paperCrane <Justin Patrin>