How do I parse this XML string with PHP

Question

I'm having a difficult time parsing the following XML string. I receive numerous errors when using SimpleXMLElement or simplexml_load_string. I'm running PHP version 5.5.20.

<?xmlversion="1.0"encoding="utf-8"?>
<Responsetype="NAK">
<ResponseCode>231</ResponseCode>
<Description>Billingstate/provinceisrequired.</Description>
<Reference>VSTMUAS:060215CJM-12</Reference>
<TransactionID>1433251975406510979</TransactionID>
<ProcessingTime>0.590634</ProcessingTime>
</Response>

When I run the following code:

$xml = simplexml_load_string($myXMLData);
print_r($xml);

I get the following errors:

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): Entity: line 1: parser warning : xmlParsePITarget: invalid name prefix 'xml' in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): <?xmlversion="1.0"encoding="utf-8"?> in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): ^ in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): Entity: line 1: parser error : ParsePI: PI xmlversion space expected in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): <?xmlversion="1.0"encoding="utf-8"?> in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): ^ in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): Entity: line 2: parser error : error parsing attribute name in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): <Responsetype="NAK"> in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): ^ in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): Entity: line 2: parser error : attributes construct error in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): <Responsetype="NAK"> in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): ^ in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): Entity: line 2: parser error : Couldn't find end of Start Tag Responsetype line 2 in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): <Responsetype="NAK"> in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): ^ in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): Entity: line 2: parser error : Extra content at the end of the document in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): <Responsetype="NAK"> in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Warning: simplexml_load_string(): ^ in /home/pmotrad/public_html/content/CalvinsTesting.php on line 18

Please help me undertand what I am doing wrong.

Thanks,

Calvin

Well, it doesn't appear well-formed. Where's the opening <Response> tag? — Kevin_Kinsey
– Kevin_Kinsey, Commented Jun 2, 2015 at 14:55
I agree, it is not well formed. This is a response from an outside source, and unfortunately I cannot control what they send back to me. I can however use some php string manipulation in order to get it in the correct form. I am what some would call an XML newb, so if someone could show me how the form should be I can make those changes in my code. On a side note, i did add the <Response> tag before my post and I did not notice any changes to the errors shown above, so I did not think that was the problem. — Calvin
– Calvin, Commented Jun 2, 2015 at 15:02
You're not doing anything wrong and this is how you create SimpleXMLElement object from a string. However the string is not good to get converted to an XML object, you should clean it and to do so read carefully the errors returned, they are quite straightforward — smarber
– smarber, Commented Jun 2, 2015 at 15:07

smarber · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-02 15:11:02Z

2

The string contains not well formatted XML.

Here is your XML after fixing it

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Response type="NAK">
    <ResponseCode>231</ResponseCode>
    <Description>Billingstate/provinceisrequired.</Description>
    <Reference>VSTMUAS:060215CJM-12</Reference>
    <TransactionID>1433251975406510979</TransactionID>
    <ProcessingTime>0.590634</ProcessingTime>
</Response>

Try with this xml and you'll get:

 SimpleXMLElement Object ( [@attributes] => Array ( [type] => NAK ) [ResponseCode] => 231 [Description] => Billingstate/provinceisrequired. [Reference] => VSTMUAS:060215CJM-12 [TransactionID] => 1433251975406510979 [ProcessingTime] => 0.590634 )

answered Jun 2, 2015 at 15:11

smarber

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4 Comments

Calvin Over a year ago

This is great and it works, Thanks. I would upvote if I had the reputation.

Calvin Over a year ago

I have a follow up question for you. Can you tell me how to access the <Response>'s attribute value ( I need to get the "NAK" )?

smarber Over a year ago

php.net/manual/en/…

Calvin Over a year ago

Figured it out, to get the attribute: $xml['type'].

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