[RESOLVED] PHP to XML with Images

kbc1

Hi all

I am looking to build an XML file via PHP which also needs to contain many images. The images will be stored on disc and referenced via mysql database.

I will be running a query to obtain database records and the associated images and this will build the XML structure, however the area I need advice on is the 'Images into XML' part.

Does anyone have experience in this area or could you point me in the right direction of some good examples or articles on the web?

I have tried searching around but to no avail unfortunately.

Many Thanks

NogDog

In the XML itself, all you can do is provide a link to the image in question as an element's contents or one of its attributes. The program reading the XML can then access that image if programmed to do so, or if intended for consumption by a browser you can use a XSLT file to generate the necessary <img> tag in the XHTML it outputs.

kbc1

Thanks for the prompt reply but I am unfortunately unable to provide a link to it as the system reading the XML will be an offline system.

I have read articles regarding Base64Encoding but I haven't found any decent tutorials on this - is this not an option?

NogDog

I suppose it'a an "option", but not one I'd likely consider. It would result in a hugely bloated XML file. It seems much simpler and economical to send the link:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<data>
  <record>
    <image_title>This is a test</image_title>
    <image_link>http://www.yoursite.com/images/example.jpg</image_link>
  </record>
</data>

This way the receving application can fetch and display the image if so desired, and if not it did not have to wait for all the image data to download if it had been embedded within the XML file itself.

kbc1

Thanks for your input NogDog but as I say, the system reading the XML file is an offline system where no internet access is available, otherwise the link itself would be the primary option.

I'll keep looking.
Cheers

Weedpacket

If you don't mind bloating the XML even more you could base64-encode the image file and put the result into the file. Base64-decode it at the other end and you have the original image.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<data>
  <record>
    <image_title>This is a test</image_title>
    <image type="image/png" name="example.png">
iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAGQAAABkBAMAAACCzIhnAAAAFVBMVEUAAAAA/wAAnAAASAAAdAAAvwAA
3wAVKVWcAAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAhUlEQVR4Xu3PMQ6DMBBE0Vkgrr0YXCc5ATSpIRI9
QnAA7n+J2E1EZ1xANa+a5ku7uAsREREJMpkuJltucpa8Gow67D6ON2odHuoTyTyWrnSmCyMkbWU/cIkE
Us1YQgIJicXZZD0kos9kEg87JF8gmcT3C/9Pem2QacGETL1aXIOIiIiI6Ac/6grfkpeAiQAAAABJRU5E
rkJggg==
    </image>
  </record>
</data>

kbc1

Bloating the XML file is not a problem at all.

So your saying something like the following would work:


$image = "/images/myimage.gif";

$enc_image = base64_encode($image);

And the script I create to build the XML file will just need the $enc_image variable passed to it in order to store the encoded image?

NogDog

<?php
header("Content-Type: text/xml");
$image = "/images/myimage.gif";
$imgName = basename($image);
$enc_image = base64_encode(file_get_contents($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].$image));
echo <<<XML
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<data>
  <record>
    <image_title>This is a test</image_title>
    <image type="image/png" name="$imgName">$enc_image</image>
  </record>
</data>
XML;
?>

kbc1

Fantastic.

Thanks for your help and support.