PHP Manual
PrevNext

simplexml_load_file

(PHP 5)

simplexml_load_file --  Interprets an XML file into an object

Description

object simplexml_load_file ( string filename [, string class_name [, int options [, string ns [, bool is_prefix]]]] )

Convert the well-formed XML document in the given file to an object.

Parameters

filename

Path to the XML file

Note: Libxml 2 unescapes the URI, so if you want to pass e.g. b&c as the URI parameter a, you have to call simplexml_load_file(rawurlencode('http://example.com/?a=' . urlencode('b&c'))). Since PHP 5.1.0 you don't need to do this because PHP will do it for you.

class_name

You may use this optional parameter so that simplexml_load_file() will return an object of the specified class. That class should extend the SimpleXMLElement class.

options

Since PHP 5.1.0 and Libxml 2.6.0, you may also use the options parameter to specify additional Libxml parameters.

ns

is_prefix

Return Values

Returns an object of class SimpleXMLElement with properties containing the data held within the XML document. On errors, it will return FALSE.

Examples

Example 1. Interpret an XML document

<?php
// The file test.xml contains an XML document with a root element
// and at least an element /[root]/title.

if (file_exists('test.xml')) {
    $xml = simplexml_load_file('test.xml');

    print_r($xml);
} else {
    exit('Failed to open test.xml.');
}
?>

This script will display, on success: 

SimpleXMLElement Object
(
  [title] => Example Title
  ...
)

At this point, you can go about using $xml->title and any other elements.

See Also

simplexml_load_string
SimpleXMLElement->__construct()

PrevHomeNext
simplexml_import_domUpsimplexml_load_string