[RESOLVED] Next up on my impossible hit parade of php problems...haha

[nine72]

First, I want to thank everyone for your outstanding input of my other posts, most all of it has been very useful, informative and I am greatful....

As thoes of you have been follwing this drama...I generate an XML string from forms in php that is user submitted. I use cURL to connect and send the XML to my middleware, where it commits it to my central db. This is working wonderful...

Now the new wall...

If the user needs to modify the information that they submitted, I will send off an xml request again to the middleware. In turn it returns the results of my request in an XML string. I am looking for an example of how to catch the incoming xml, parse (I think that I can use my curent parse.php routine) and commit the returned information to a temp mySql database and do it all via PHP.

From there I should be able to figure out how to display the information, let them edit, change etc and send it back to the middleware.

I hope that this is the last part that I will be needing help with....

Thanks soo much everyone...

[Krik]

You could just parse the XML into an array and then retrieve the various parts of the array into a form for editing. Temporarily storing it in the database and then retrieving it and deleting it is alot of extra code. So I would put it in an array and retreive it from there.

As you already have a parser I am guessing setting the rest will be relatively easy.

[nine72]

Thank You for the reply Kirk...
While the suggestion is sound, there may be several 100 records returned per request depending on the amount of information provided to do the search. In this instance they would need to sift through the returned records to find the one that they want to edit...I am not sure if doing it in an array would be good since the <tags></tags> returned in the XML will be repeated over and over. By inserting in to the db I should be able to create a row by a foreach of a key var that will be returned...

Also there may be 100's of users at a time making requests, I would need to keep the data returned separate to whom ever requested it. I plan on doing that by their UID (Recorded when they first entered the information, an encrypted string using a combination of the username, assigned agent id and one other variable all in MD5/3DES)

However, if you have an example of the array I would truly like to discuss more.

Thank You

[Krik]

Guess I was unaware that it was a search that was being generated and hence retrieving alot more data than just a sigle record.

I did something similar to this earlier in the year. I will need to refresh my memory on what I did and see If I can give you a solution. I'll try to post some details a little later if no one else does before I get back

On a side note are you sure your a Newbie. In my opinion this is some fairly advanced stuff 😃

[nine72]

Kirk,

That was entirely my fault for not outlining better as to what the possibilities were on the results.

Anything you may have would be outstanding.

As for being a Newbie, for what I am working on i.e. my posts I am a Newby to what it takes. But like most people IF I can see it work one time I can take it from there and crush, mash, trim, twist and bend it to my own will....<insert>evil_laugh</insert>

If you have not seen the previous posts, I am an Art Director that happens to know some web language (php, jsp, xml, wap, cf) I have taken over a very robust project from a developer that squandered 2 years working on it. I am certain that it could be done much better and much simpler (some 2000+ files at this point) than it has. I am, however, not afforded the luxury of starting over due to some time constraints…

I wish I could find someone in my area that I could just sit down with for a few evenings and go, hey WTF is this and why is it here….haha

[Krik]

Sorry hadn't checked back. It looks like the post I typed out the other day I forgot to submit.

Basically the work I had done with my XML go round earlier in the year was not anywere near as robust as what I think you need. Originally it would have been but for the sack of simplification I made severla changes and got it down to a little 15 line parser as being all that was needed and I do not think that will do it for you.

I am really suprised that you are unable to get at least read access to the database it would save you alot of work.

I am not sure how to tell you to proceed. Best guess if the data is being brought over in XML I am certain a good parser can split that data up into variables and you can easily submit it to a database.

Other wise maybe someone else has a something they have done

[nine72]

Kirk,

Thanks for getting back to me. The only reason that I can not get direct access to the db is that we are in a 3 tier network. Since my app is on the web layer (top layer) there is no direct connection allowed from tier 1 to tier 3 due to CISP compliancy rules.

I hope that someone else out there might have an example for me to take a look at...sigh

Thanks again!

[Krik]

I really hate seeing that there is no one that can at least maybe give you something to go on.

I think since I have worked with XML on at least 3 differnt occations starting as far back as 4 years ago. I think I will make an attempt to learn a bit more to see if I can't get you something. Beside I have been wanting to employ XML more in some of the work I do and what better way to learn it than with a real problem. Of course I can't guarentee anything we will have to see what happens.

I do have a couple questions, I am not even sure how to ask some as I don't have certain other pieces of information. Lets start with this string of XML that is being send from this middleware. Can you give me some idea of what exactly it is outputing or even a sample of it. Working with a real problems is much simpler that hypathetic problems and trying to solve your problem hypathetically will cause more problems.

And if you should be interested in learning a bit, here is the short list of matterial I will be studying.

First I will be reading up on php.net on XML Manipulation

Second, phpbuilder.com has several XML Artiles that will prove handy I am hoping.

Third, I have used hotscripts in the past to track down code snippets and examples as well they have severl turorials on XML

Lastly I will turn to google to do some vary narrowed in searches once I have my head around some ideas that may work.

And if that should all fail (not likely) I will find a good book, no less than 1000 pages, on XML.

[nine72]

Thanks for the reply Kirk.

I have gone through a lot of the XML articles here on PHPBuilder but none seam to be exactly what I am looking for (also might be that since I am not a &#8220;regular&#8221; developer I may just not understand some of the language/terms being used).

I have also made several Google queries and again I might have found what I needed but missed it due to the language/terms&#8230;

Here is what I am sending for a request&#8230;

<ClientRequest>
	<RequestType>Terminal</RequestType>
	<LogId>984509DSDUF98764KDFDKSY</LogId>
	<IcsId>447474</IcsId>
	<AgentId>JP</AgentId>
	<BrachId>8</BranchId>
</ClientRequest>

This request will return the following string&#8230;

<RetClientRequest>
	<Corporate>
	     <CpBus>
		<agent_id></agent_id>
		<iso_id></iso_id>
		<bb_id></bb_id>
		<cp_legal_name></cp_legal_name>
		<cp_dba_name></cp_dba_name>
	     </CpBus>
	</Corporate>

<Terminals>
 <Terminal>
   <TerBus>
	 <tt_legal_name></tt_legal_name>
	 <tt_dba_name></tt_dba_name>
	 <device_type></device_type>
	 <dynamic_description></dynamic_description>
  </TerBus>
   <TerEquipments>
	 <TerEquipment>
	 <device_category></device_category>
	 <device_name></device_name>
	 <device_model></device_model>
	 <device_dial_up></device_dial_up>
	 <capture_mode></capture_mode>
	 <device_serial_no></device_serial_no>
	 <device_esn></device_esn>
	 <device_additional_info></device_additional_info>
	 <device_pbx></device_pbx>
	 <device_application></device_application>
             <device_gateway></device_gateway>
	 <device_comm_format></device_comm_format>
	 <device_def_capture_mode></device_def_capture_mode>
	 <device_flag></device_flag>
	 <force_edi></force_edi>
	 <tt_alt_city_descriptor></tt_alt_city_descriptor>
   </TerEquipments>
  </Terminal>
</Terminals>

<DefaultContact>
	<contact_type></contact_type>
	<r_first_name></r_first_name>
	<r_last_name></r_last_name>
	<r_middle_i></r_middle_i>
	<r_address1></r_address1>
	<r_address2></r_address2>
	<r_state_cd></r_state_cd>
	<r_state_cd></r_state_cd>
	<r_city></r_city>
	<r_zip></r_zip>
	<r_cntry_cd></r_cntry_cd>
	<r_customer_care_phone></r_customer_care_phone>
	<r_telephone>	</r_telephone>
	<r_fax></r_fax>
	<r_email_id></r_email_id>
	<r_department></r_department>
	<r_title></r_title>
	<r_mobile></r_mobile>
	<r_url></r_url>
</DefaultContact>
</RetClientRequest>

At least that is the current structure&#8230;
The <Terminals> </Terminals> would return all terminals under the client account&#8230;there could be 1 or 1000 etc.
Based on the request that is sent to the middleware there are possible combinations of some 50 parent tags and 600+ child tags&#8230;.

Thanks

[NogDog]

Have you looked into the [man]SimpleXML[/man] functions? ("Simple" may not be entirely applicable, unless it is in comparison to the functionality that existed before this extension was added. 😉 )

You could use the [man]simplexml_load_string/man function to create a SimpleXMLElement object, then use its methods to manipulate/extract data as needed.

[Krik]

NogDog has a good suggestoin. And the Examples has some great stuff. That alone may help you.

Now if just one record is being passed to you at a time the parsing is fairly simple. I fact I already have that parser. But you indicated possibly 100's of records. So the next question is when a search returns multiple records how is the XML being sent

Is it something similar to

<?php
$xmlstr1 = "<?xml version='1.0' >
<RetClientRequest> 

<!-- other xml here -->

</RetClientRequest> 
";


$xmlstr2 = "<?xml version='1.0' >
<RetClientRequest> 

<!-- other xml here -->

</RetClientRequest> 
";
?>

Or is it more like

<?php
$xmlstr = "<?xml version='1.0' >
<RetClientRequest> 

<!-- other xml here -->

</RetClientRequest> 

<RetClientRequest> 

<!-- other xml here -->

</RetClientRequest> 
";
?>

How it sends over mutiple records may be the biggest factor in how to get the data into variables and thereby into the temporary database.

[nine72]

It would be more like this for things that are with in the same parent tag.

<?php 
$xmlstr = "<?xml version='1.0' > 
<RetClientRequest> 
   <Terminals>
     <Terminal> 
       <TerBus> 
      </TerBus> 
       <TerEquipments> 
         <TerEquipment> 
         </TerEquipment>
       </TerEquipments> 
      </Terminal> 
     <Terminal> 
       <TerBus> 
       </TerBus> 
       <TerEquipments> 
         <TerEquipment> 
       </TerEquipments> 
      </Terminal>
</RetClientRequest> 
"; 
?>

There will be only ONE <RetClientRequest></RetClientRequest> per request returned....

Each part that can fall with in the original Parent Tag will more or less loop as long as the other tag sets correspond to each other...

That is Keying off the information that I send I would get a single return on the corporate tags, a tag block for each terminal/kiosk that they have, a tag block for all the contacts of the corporate etc....

Anyway it gets sliced it is a HUGE string return...My example is the smallest possible return. But as stated a typical return will have 50 or so parent tags and a min of one (average of 20 :eek: ) child tags per parent. Yikers I know.

[Krik]

So let me just make sure I understand this.

The <RetClientRequest> and the <Terminals> tag there will only be one of each send. And each search result will be inside the <Terminal> tags. So if there is a search of 20 results we would have 20 sets of <Terminal></Terminal> tags with the data inside them.

If that is the case I think we can do this. I think the simplexml will work. And, if I understood what I read, it will reference each <Terminal> like so

RetClientRequest->Terminals->Terminal[0]
RetClientRequest->Terminals->Terminal[1]
RetClientRequest->Terminals->Terminal[2]

and so on.

Basically then we just have to find out how many results were returned and make a loop that increments the number forward and sends the data inside each <Terminal> to the database.

Now that I know how the data is presented to the code I can fairly quickly figure out how to make it all work.

EDIT
I had a last thought, more like a question. I am assuming that no mater wether a child tag has data or not the tags passed to you are all the same, no missing or additional tags will be present in any record set.

[nine72]

I do believe that we are on the same page, but before you do anything...let me see if I can get a full sample out put for a single client that is loaded and will get to you so you can see exactly what it looks like...

If you can direct me on this it will be soooooooooo good!

[nine72]

Kirk,

Thanks for your help on this, I have ended up just looping the rows from the db into the pre-existing xml code that I have.