Question

I am trying to get some data off my DB and then trying to display it in XML and JSON. After I select everything from the db, I add everything to an array called $data. So depending on how I want it to be displayed, I can simply json_encode() it or use some lib ( This One ) to convert to XML. Now my problem/question is that I am trying to form the output style within the array so all I have to do in encode it and output it.

So this is the array data

Array (

[0] => Array
    (
        [Key1] => value1
        [Key2] => value2
        [Key3] => value3
        [Key4] => value4
    )

[1] => Array
    (
        [Key1] => value1
        [Key2] => value2
        [Key3] => value3
        [Key4] => value4
    )

[2] => Array
    (
        [Key1] => value1
        [Key2] => value2
        [Key3] => value3
        [Key4] => value4
    ) 

)

and I want it to be come out in this form in XML and Json

<xml>
<result>
<key1>value1</key1>
<key2>value2</key2>
<key3>value3</key3>
<key4>value4</key4>
</result>

<result>
<key1>value1</key1>
<key2>value2</key2>
<key3>value3</key3>
<key4>value4</key4>
</result>

<result>
<key1>value1</key1>
<key2>value2</key2>
<key3>value3</key3>
<key4>value4</key4>
</result>
</xml>

Now what I am trying to find a solution for a way to make those arrays with a key result so when I convert the array directly to json or xml, I dont have to make additional changes to make every result entry abide to the result tag.

Is there a way to do this? Adding every array to key result overrides all the entries and outputs only the last entry.

Thanks

Answer 1

Lucky you, I was just writing this kind of thing for myself… Basically you supply a list of elements you want to use, by default it will use they key/index. hope this helps.

<?PHP

class Serializer
{   
    private static function getTabs($tabcount)
    {
        $tabs = '';
        for($i = 0; $i < $tabcount; $i++)
        {
            $tabs .= "\t";
        }
        return $tabs;
    }

    private static function asxml($arr, $elements = Array(), $tabcount = 0)
    {
        $result = '';
        $tabs = self::getTabs($tabcount);
        foreach($arr as $key => $val)
        {
            $element = isset($elements[0]) ? $elements[0] : $key;
            $result .= $tabs;
            $result .= "<" . $element . ">";
            if(!is_array($val))
                $result .= $val;
            else
            {
                $result .= "\r\n";
                $result .= self::asxml($val, array_slice($elements, 1, true), $tabcount+1);
                $result .= $tabs;
            }
            $result .= "</" . $element . ">\r\n";
        }
        return $result;
    }

    public static function toxml($arr, $root = "xml", $elements = Array())
    {
        $result = '';
        $result .= "<" . $root . ">\r\n";
        $result .= self::asxml($arr, $elements, 1); 
        $result .= "</" . $root . ">\r\n";
        return $result;
    }
}

    $arr = Array (
    0 => Array
    (
        'Key1' => 'value1',
        'Key2' => 'value2',
        'Key3' => 'value3',
        'Key4' => 'value4',
    ),

    1 => Array
    (
        'Key1' => 'value1',
        'Key2' => 'value2',
        'Key3' => 'value3',
        'Key4' => 'value4',
    ),

    2 => Array
    (
        'Key1' => 'value1',
        'Key2' => 'value2',
        'Key3' => 'value3',
        'Key4' => 'value4',
    ),
);
?>

Example 1

echo Serializer::toxml($arr, "xml", array("result"));

    //output
<xml>
    <result>
        <Key1>value1</Key1>
        <Key2>value2</Key2>
        <Key3>value3</Key3>
        <Key4>value4</Key4>
    </result>

    <result>
        <Key1>value1</Key1>
        <Key2>value2</Key2>
        <Key3>value3</Key3>
        <Key4>value4</Key4>
    </result>
    <result>

        <Key1>value1</Key1>
        <Key2>value2</Key2>
        <Key3>value3</Key3>
        <Key4>value4</Key4>
    </result>
</xml>

Exmaple 2

echo Serializer::toxml($arr, "xml", array("result", "item"));

// output
<xml>
    <result>
        <item>value1</item>
        <item>value2</item>
        <item>value3</item>
        <item>value4</item>
    </result>

    <result>
        <item>value1</item>
        <item>value2</item>
        <item>value3</item>
        <item>value4</item>
    </result>
    <result>

        <item>value1</item>
        <item>value2</item>
        <item>value3</item>
        <item>value4</item>
    </result>
</xml>

Example 3

echo Serializer::toxml($arr, "xml", array(null, "item"));

// output
<xml>
    <0>
        <item>value1</item>
        <item>value2</item>
        <item>value3</item>
        <item>value4</item>
    </0>

    <1>
        <item>value1</item>
        <item>value2</item>
        <item>value3</item>
        <item>value4</item>
    </1>
    <2>
        <item>value1</item>

        <item>value2</item>
        <item>value3</item>
        <item>value4</item>
    </2>
</xml>