How do you read and write UTF-8-encoded XML files in PHP?

[ppowell]

I have a very simple XML file I created as a sample:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<stuff>
<blah id="1">Om du vet hur många gånger blivit jag trevligt överkritisk på jättekult bajset!</blah>
</stuff>

I am trying to simply read it using tree-based XML functions in PHP which I know (sorry, don't know or quickly understand DOM though that might be a better option if someone wants to tutor me in it):

$fileID = @fopen($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] . '/stuff.xml', 'rb'); // THIS WORKS
$contents = @fread($fileID, filesize($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] . '/stuff.xml')); // $contents HAS THE ENTIRE XML CONTENTS
@fclose($fileID); // NO PROB

$parser = xml_parser_create(); // WORKS JUST FINE
xml_parse_into_struct($parser, $contents, $xmlArray, $tags); // $xmlArray and $tags are both empty arrays! But why?
xml_parser_free($parser);

This seems to happen with PHP versions 4.1.2 - 5.0.4 with me trying to work with a UTF-8 encoded XML script created in the following manner:

1. Using Windows XP Notepad, wrote script
2. Saved as "stuff.xml" using UTF-8 encoding as I'm saving it
3. Verified well-formed XML by opening in both Firefox and IE

Is there something missing or just not right here, or the worst-case scenario: PHP can't read UTF-8-encoded XML in at least tree form?

This affects one particular site that has no access to a DB that utilizes simple data in XML format, however, the data may contain foreign characters.

Thanx
Phil

[rincewind456]

Code works fine and returns these arrays

$xmlArray:
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [tag] => STUFF
            [type] => open
            [level] => 1
            [value] => 

    )

[1] => Array
    (
        [tag] => BLAH
        [type] => open
        [level] => 2
        [attributes] => Array
            (
                [ID] => 1
            )

        [value] => Om du vet hur m
    )

)
$tags:
Array
(
    [STUFF] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
        )

[BLAH] => Array
    (
        [0] => 1
    )

)

Are you certain that the path is correct?

[ppowell]

First of all $xmlArray[1]['value'] is incomplete. Stops right at the first foreign character. Look more closely.

Secondly, what environment are you using? I am Windows XP, PHP 5.0.4 and pulling it up using Firefox 1.0 and IE 5.1

Thirdly, the path is correct, else, $contents would be null or empty, but in my case $contents contains content, thus, it is attempting to parse but fails upon existing XML content read from the file successfully.

Phil

[rincewind456]

I'm using win2k php5.1.1 and FF1.5 wouldn't touch IE with a barge pole.

looking at the xml file in FF i get this

Om du vet hur m?nga g?nger blivit jag trevligt ?verkritisk p? j?ttekult bajset!

as you can see FF can't decipher it either. so I would think it's the encoding rather than PHP.

Update :
Just encoded with utf-8 and this the array result:

$xmlArray
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [tag] => STUFF
            [type] => open
            [level] => 1
            [value] => 

    )

[1] => Array
    (
        [tag] => BLAH
        [type] => complete
        [level] => 2
        [attributes] => Array
            (
                [ID] => 1
            )

        [value] => Om du vet hur många gånger blivit jag trevligt överkritisk på jättekult bajset!
    )

[2] => Array
    (
        [tag] => STUFF
        [value] => 

        [type] => cdata
        [level] => 1
    )

[3] => Array
    (
        [tag] => STUFF
        [type] => close
        [level] => 1
    )

)
$tags
Array
(
    [STUFF] => Array
        (
            [0] => 0
            [1] => 2
            [2] => 3
        )

[BLAH] => Array
    (
        [0] => 1
    )

)

[ppowell]

For one thing you're using PHP 5.1.1 while I was using PHP 5.0.4 for my testing, so perhaps there might be a version-related issue with UTF-8 encoded XML parsing. Other than that, I entertain any other explanation, assuming you did save the XML script as UTF-8 encoded .xml file like I did.

Phil

[rincewind456]

ppowell wrote:

assuming you did save the XML script as UTF-8 encoded .xml file like I did.

Phil

Yes lets assume that shall we, especially as I said

Update :
Just encoded with utf-8 and this the array result:

Now the question is did you?.

[ppowell]

If you read my original message, you should know that I already have saved the XML script as a UTF-8 encoded .xml file.

I do not understand why it works for you and not for me assuming that we both did the exact same steps yet produced diametrically opposite results, unless PHP 5.0.4 can't handle UTF-8 encoded XML parsing while PHP 5.1+ can.

I'd like someone else to look into this, to be honest, to verify or shed new light on this.

Phil

ppowell wrote:

For one thing you're using PHP 5.1.1 while I was using PHP 5.0.4 for my testing, so perhaps there might be a version-related issue with UTF-8 encoded XML parsing. Other than that, I entertain any other explanation, assuming you did save the XML script as UTF-8 encoded .xml file like I did.

Phil