PHP - Parsing invalid XML and outputting to own xml document

Question

Trying to figure out the most effective way to parse invalid XML (in php).

The element I'm attempting to parse contains nested that'd I like to output to its own xml doc.

I've tried simple XML, but am continuously running into errors. Tried using DOM and it seems to work well, but only resulted in being able to output the text. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Sample XML:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<server_name>
    <creative>
        <content><VAST xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="2.0" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="vast.xsd"> <Ad id="222296909"> <InLine> <AdSystem version="2.0">DART_DFA</AdSystem> <AdTitle>In-Stream Video</AdTitle> <Description>parisian love - updated</Description> <Survey/> <Impression id="DART"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/imp;v7;x;222296909;0-0;0;45922216;0/0;35460632/35478450/2;;~cs=s%3fhttp://s0.2mdn.net/dot.gif ]]> </Impression> <Creatives> <Creative sequence="1" AdID=""> <Linear> <Duration>00:00:52</Duration> <TrackingEvents> <Tracking event="start"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=11;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="midpoint"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=18;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="complete"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=13;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="mute"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=16;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="pause"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=15;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="fullscreen"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=19;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> </TrackingEvents> <AdParameters/> <VideoClicks> <ClickThrough> <![CDATA[ http://google.com ]]> </ClickThrough> <ClickTracking id="DART"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh%3Dv8/3fae/3/0/%2a/k%3B222296909%3B0-0%3B0%3B45922216%3B255-0/0%3B35460632/35478450/2%3B%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttp://s0.2mdn.net/dot.gif ]]> </ClickTracking> </VideoClicks> <MediaFiles> <MediaFile id="1" delivery="streaming" type="video/x-flv" bitrate="766" width="854" height="480"> <![CDATA[ rtmp://rmcdn.f.2mdn.net/ondemand/MotifFiles/html/1379578/parisian_love_126566284014011.flv ]]> </MediaFile> <MediaFile id="2" delivery="progressive" type="video/x-flv" bitrate="766" width="854" height="480"> <![CDATA[ http://gcdn.2mdn.net/MotifFiles/html/1379578/parisian_love_126566284014011.flv ]]> </MediaFile> </MediaFiles> </Linear> </Creative> <Creative sequence="1" AdID=""> <CompanionAds> <Companion id="1" width="300" height="250"> <StaticResource creativeType="application/x-shockwave-flash"> <![CDATA[ http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644799000_parisian_love_300x250.swf ]]> </StaticResource> <CompanionClickThrough> <![CDATA[ http://google.com ]]> </CompanionClickThrough> <AltText/> <AdParameters/> </Companion> <Companion id="2" width="300" height="250"> <StaticResource creativeType="image/jpeg"> <![CDATA[ http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644904000_parisian_love_300x250.jpg ]]> </StaticResource> <CompanionClickThrough> <![CDATA[ http://google.com ]]> </CompanionClickThrough> <AltText/> <AdParameters/> </Companion> <Companion id="3" width="728" height="90"> <StaticResource creativeType="image/jpeg"> <![CDATA[ http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644932000_parisian_love_728x90.jpg ]]> </StaticResource> <CompanionClickThrough> <![CDATA[ http://google.com ]]> </CompanionClickThrough> <AltText/> <AdParameters/> </Companion> <Companion id="4" width="728" height="90"> <StaticResource creativeType="application/x-shockwave-flash"> <![CDATA[ http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644945000_parisian_love_728x90.swf ]]> </StaticResource> <CompanionClickThrough> <![CDATA[ http://google.com ]]> </CompanionClickThrough> <AltText/> <AdParameters/> </Companion> </CompanionAds> </Creative> <Creative sequence="2" AdID=""> <NonLinearAds> <TrackingEvents> <Tracking event="start"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=11;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="midpoint"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=18;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="complete"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=13;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="mute"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=16;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="pause"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=15;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> <Tracking event="fullscreen"> <![CDATA[ http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=1242003;eid1=19;ecn1=1;etm1=0; ]]> </Tracking> </TrackingEvents> <NonLinear id="1" width="400" height="150" scalable="false" maintainAspectRatio="false"> <StaticResource creativeType="image/jpeg"> <![CDATA[ http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1281625520000_google.jpg ]]> </StaticResource> <NonLinearClickThrough> <![CDATA[ http://google.com ]]> </NonLinearClickThrough> <AdParameters/> </NonLinear> </NonLinearAds> </Creative> </Creatives> <Extensions> <Extension type="DART"> <AdServingData> <DeliveryData> <GeoData> <![CDATA[ ct=US&st=NY&ac=212&zp=10025&bw=3&dma=3&city=13275 ]]> </GeoData> </DeliveryData> </AdServingData> </Extension> </Extensions> </InLine> </Ad> </VAST></content>
    </creative>
</server_name>

Output would be everything contained within the element and look something like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<VAST xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="2.0" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="vast.xsd">
   <Ad id="222296909">
      <InLine>
         <AdSystem version="2.0">DART_DFA</AdSystem>
         <AdTitle>In-Stream Video</AdTitle>
         <Description>parisian love - updated</Description>
         <Survey />
         <Impression id="DART"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/imp;v7;x;222296909;0-0;0;45922216;0/0;35460632/35478450/2;;~aopt=0/0/ff/0;~cs=h%3fhttp://s0.2mdn.net/dot.gif]]></Impression>
         <Creatives>
            <Creative sequence="1" AdID="">
               <Linear>
                  <Duration>00:00:52</Duration>
                  <TrackingEvents>
                     <Tracking event="start"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=11;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="midpoint"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=18;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="complete"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=13;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="mute"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=16;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="pause"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=15;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="fullscreen"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=19;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                  </TrackingEvents>
                  <AdParameters />
                  <VideoClicks>
                     <ClickThrough><![CDATA[http://google.com]]></ClickThrough>
                     <ClickTracking id="DART"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh%3Dv8/3fae/3/0/%2a/f%3B222296909%3B0-0%3B0%3B45922216%3B255-0/0%3B35460632/35478450/2%3B%3B%7Eaopt%3D0/0/ff/0%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttp://s0.2mdn.net/dot.gif]]></ClickTracking>
                  </VideoClicks>
                  <MediaFiles>
                     <MediaFile id="1" delivery="streaming" type="video/x-flv" bitrate="766" width="854" height="480"><![CDATA[rtmp://rmcdn.f.2mdn.net/ondemand/MotifFiles/html/1379578/parisian_love_126566284014011.flv]]></MediaFile>
                     <MediaFile id="2" delivery="progressive" type="video/x-flv" bitrate="766" width="854" height="480"><![CDATA[http://gcdn.2mdn.net/MotifFiles/html/1379578/parisian_love_126566284014011.flv]]></MediaFile>
                  </MediaFiles>
               </Linear>
            </Creative>
            <Creative sequence="1" AdID="">
               <CompanionAds>
                  <Companion id="1" width="300" height="250">
                     <StaticResource creativeType="application/x-shockwave-flash"><![CDATA[http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644799000_parisian_love_300x250.swf]]></StaticResource>
                     <CompanionClickThrough><![CDATA[http://google.com]]></CompanionClickThrough>
                     <AltText />
                     <AdParameters />
                  </Companion>
                  <Companion id="2" width="300" height="250">
                     <StaticResource creativeType="image/jpeg"><![CDATA[http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644904000_parisian_love_300x250.jpg]]></StaticResource>
                     <CompanionClickThrough><![CDATA[http://google.com]]></CompanionClickThrough>
                     <AltText />
                     <AdParameters />
                  </Companion>
                  <Companion id="3" width="728" height="90">
                     <StaticResource creativeType="image/jpeg"><![CDATA[http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644932000_parisian_love_728x90.jpg]]></StaticResource>
                     <CompanionClickThrough><![CDATA[http://google.com]]></CompanionClickThrough>
                     <AltText />
                     <AdParameters />
                  </Companion>
                  <Companion id="4" width="728" height="90">
                     <StaticResource creativeType="application/x-shockwave-flash"><![CDATA[http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1265644945000_parisian_love_728x90.swf]]></StaticResource>
                     <CompanionClickThrough><![CDATA[http://google.com]]></CompanionClickThrough>
                     <AltText />
                     <AdParameters />
                  </Companion>
               </CompanionAds>
            </Creative>
            <Creative sequence="2" AdID="">
               <NonLinearAds>
                  <TrackingEvents>
                     <Tracking event="start"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=11;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="midpoint"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=18;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="complete"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=13;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="mute"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=16;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="pause"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=15;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                     <Tracking event="fullscreen"><![CDATA[http://ad.doubleclick.net/activity;src=1379578;met=1;v=1;pid=45922216;aid=222296909;ko=0;cid=35460632;rid=35478450;rv=2;timestamp=2886483;eid1=19;ecn1=1;etm1=0;]]></Tracking>
                  </TrackingEvents>
                  <NonLinear id="1" width="400" height="150" scalable="false" maintainAspectRatio="false">
                     <StaticResource creativeType="image/jpeg"><![CDATA[http://s0.2mdn.net/1379578/PID_1244559_1281625520000_google.jpg]]></StaticResource>
                     <NonLinearClickThrough><![CDATA[http://google.com]]></NonLinearClickThrough>
                     <AdParameters />
                  </NonLinear>
               </NonLinearAds>
            </Creative>
         </Creatives>
         <Extensions>
            <Extension type="DART">
               <AdServingData>
                  <DeliveryData>
                     <GeoData><![CDATA[ct=US&st=GA&ac=404&zp=30319&bw=0&dma=26&city=13241]]></GeoData>
                  </DeliveryData>
               </AdServingData>
            </Extension>
         </Extensions>
      </InLine>
   </Ad>
</VAST>

possible duplicate of [How do you parse and process HTML/XML in PHP?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3577641/how-do-you-parse-and-process-html-xml-in-php) — Marcin Orlowski, Aug 17 '14 at 20:08

ThW · Answer 1 · 2014-08-18T19:46:38.687

0

Easy, just append the element node to a new document.

$source = new DOMDocument();
$source->loadXml($sampleXml);
$xpath = new DOMXpath($dom);

$target = new DOMDocument();
$target->appendChild(
  $target->importNode($xpath->evaluate('//VAST')->item(0), TRUE)
);

echo $target->saveXml();

edited Aug 18 '14 at 19:46

answered Aug 18 '14 at 12:03

ThW

19,120
3
22
44

Thanks! fixed a minor error and it worked. loadXml($xmlstr); $xpath = new DOMXpath($source); $target = new DOMDocument(); $target->appendChild( $target->importNode($xpath->evaluate('//VAST')->item( 0 ), TRUE)); header('Content-type: application/XML'); echo $target->saveXml(); ?> – Cookie Monster Aug 18 '14 at 16:08

PHP - Parsing invalid XML and outputting to own xml document

1 Answers1