simplexml_load_string - child nodes not showing - php

Question

I am working with an xml file that I am trying to parse into json format and then decode to an array. I accomplished this mainly using the built in simplexml_load_string and then json_encode. The issue is when calling simplexml_load_string the xml isn’t fully preserved. It seems like the child nodes for video show as object(stdClass). How could I get all values of the xml file? Link to XML
Code:
$xml = simplexml_load_string( file_get_contents('http://foxsoccer2go.mobilefeeds.performgroup.com/fox/api/videos.xml/channel/home') );
$json = json_encode($xml);
Result:
["results"]=>
object(stdClass)#183 (4) {
["previousPage"]=>
object(stdClass)#184 (1) {
["#attributes"]=>
object(stdClass)#185 (1) {
["exists"]=>
string(5) "false"
}
}
["nextPage"]=>
string(1) "2"
["total"]=>
string(2) "40"
["resultList"]=>
object(stdClass)#186 (1) {
["video"]=>
array(20) {
[0]=>
object(stdClass)#187 (7) {
["#attributes"]=>
object(stdClass)#188 (2) {
["id"]=>
string(7) "2329124"
["type"]=>
string(3) "960"
}
["description"]=>
object(stdClass)#189 (0) {
}
["created"]=>
string(25) "2015-02-18 04:04:52 +0000"
["duration"]=>
string(2) "86"
["images"]=>
object(stdClass)#190 (2) {
["image"]=>
object(stdClass)#191 (1) {
["#attributes"]=>
object(stdClass)#192 (3) {
["id"]=>
string(8) "13503818"
["width"]=>
string(3) "100"
["height"]=>
string(3) "100"
}
}
["thumbnail"]=>
object(stdClass)#193 (1) {
["#attributes"]=>
object(stdClass)#194 (3) {
["id"]=>
string(8) "13503819"
["width"]=>
string(3) "372"
["height"]=>
string(3) "210"
}
}
}
["videoFiles"]=>
object(stdClass)#195 (1) {
["file"]=>
object(stdClass)#196 (1) {
["#attributes"]=>
object(stdClass)#197 (3) {
["id"]=>
string(8) "14704560"
["formatId"]=>
string(3) "400"
["uploaded"]=>
string(4) "true"
}
}
}
["categories"]=>
object(stdClass)#198 (1) {
["category"]=>
string(21) "UEFA Champions League"
}
}

Answer 1

I would suggest just try to parse those values using SimpleXML alone and stick with it. Just access those properties properly. As for those nodes which have been wrapped with character data in it, cast them as (string).
$xml = simplexml_load_string( file_get_contents('http://foxsoccer2go.mobilefeeds.performgroup.com/fox/api/videos.xml/channel/home'));
foreach($xml->results->resultList->video as $video) {
$description = (string) $video->description;
$created = $video->created;
$duration = $video->duration;
$image = $video->images->image;
$thumbnail = (string) $video->images->image;
$video_file = (string) $video->videoFiles->file;
$categories = (string) $video->categories->category;
echo "
Description: $description <br/>
Created: $created <br/>
Duration: $duration <br/>
Categories: $categories <br/>
<hr/>
";
}
Sample Output