Question

So to start, I have an array of XML files. These files need to be iterated through and checked for certain ‘unrecognized’ hexadecimal characters and replaced with normal UTF-8 text, or some kind of placeholder.

I’ve tried iterating through the files and replacing the hex codes using both str_replace and preg_replace with no luck. My ultimate problem, is I’m receiving errors about ‘non-utf characters’ when trying to open these files with simpleXML.

Here’s what I have so far:

class HexadecimalConverter {

    public $filenames = array();

    public function __construct($filenames) {

        $this->filenames = $filenames;
        $this->removeHex();

    }

    public function removeHex() {

        foreach ($this->filenames as $key => $value) {

            $contents = file_get_contents($value);

            $contents = preg_replace("/\x96/", '–', $contents);
            $contents = preg_replace("/\x97/", '—', $contents);
            $contents = preg_replace("/\x85/", "...", $contents);
            $contents = preg_replace("/\xBA/", "", $contents);

            file_put_contents($value, $contents);

        }

    }

}

Here is the error I’m trying to fix: Warning: simplexml_load_file() [function.simplexml-load-file]: ./04R_P455_S1157.xml:5: parser error : Input is not proper UTF-8, indicate encoding ! Bytes: 0x97 0x0D 0x0A 0x69 in C:\xampp\htdocs\hint_updater\libraries\hint_updater_classes.php on line 130

Still no luck, I’ve tried everything suggested in this thread, but the preg_replace doesn’t appear to be replacing all instances of hex code.

Answer 1

You should first read the preg_replace docs. They clearly state that the function returns the modified string, so you will have to change every preg_replace line in your code by $contents = preg_replace(...); to make your replaces work. Right now you’re doing the replace but throwing the resulting string away, and thus in the end you write the original string back to the file.