Problem understanding array and variables

sgtpepper

I am experimenting with arrays and I haven't really 'gotten it' quite yet. I am trying to pull data from an XML and display specific data from an array as a php variable.


$xml = simplexml_load_string($result);
print_r($xml->query_responses->query_response->us_market_data->common_us_data->basic_data->year);

Gives me the exact data that I am looking for however the results are:

SimpleXMLElement Object ( [0] => 2011 )

How can I display just the year 2011??? I'd like it set as a variable so that I can wrap some HTML around it....something like:

<h2>The year of this is <?  print "$xml[year]";?> </h2>

I know this should be easy but I cant seem to figure it out.

Many thanks in advance.

NogDog

Looks like it would be:

echo $xml->query_responses->query_response->us_market_data->common_us_data->basic_data->year[0];

sneakyimp

To output a variable to a browser (or to a terminal window if you are running your script from the command line), you can use these commands:
[man]print[/man]
[man]echo[/man]
[man]print_r[/man]
[man]var_dump[/man]

It's encouraging that you have managed to parse your xml and create a SimpleXML object. The reason to do this is so that you can work with a structured representation of your xml data rather than just dealing with it as one big long string. SimpleXML is kind of dodgy, but seems to be working in your case. I wish I had more good advice about how to manipulate simpleXML objects or access specific members of a SimpleXML object, but I just don't have much faith in it. I've relied on trial and error to get what I need.

As for arrays, you might consider reading up on them.

traq

sgtpepper;11035973 wrote:
I am experimenting with arrays and I haven't really 'gotten it' quite yet.

A good deal of your confusion might be due to the fact that you are not dealing with an array. It's an object.

sgtpepper;11035973 wrote:
I am trying to pull data from an XML and display specific data from an array as a php variable.
$xml->query_responses->query_response->us_market_data->common_us_data->basic_data->year[0];
How can I display just the year 2011??? I'd like it set as a variable so that I can wrap some HTML around it....something like:
<h2>The year of this is <?  print "$xml[year]";?> </h2>

You can get a direct reference to [any one of] the node you desire. For example:

<?php

$basic_data = $xml->query_responses->query_response->us_market_data->common_us_data->basic_data;
$year = $basic_data->year[0];

// I'm assuming you might want _other_ "basic data" also; if not, you can just get the year directly:
$year = $xml->query_responses->query_response->us_market_data->common_us_data->basic_data->year[0];

?>
<h2>The year of this is <?= $year ?></h2>