parser error : String not started expecting ' or " in php

Question

Hi I'm trying to convert the XML file into associative array by using the following code

$xmlUrl = '../products.xml';
$xmlStr = file_get_contents($xmlUrl); 
$xmlObj = simplexml_load_string($xmlStr);  print_r ($xmlObj);exit;
$arrXml = objectsIntoArray($xmlObj);

and product.xml containing

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<products>
  <product>
    <sku>p750h3</sku>
    <category>Plans: Vodafone Unlimited Cap</category>
    <price>$0</price>
    <totalmonthlycost>$129</totalmonthlycost>
    <totalmincost>$3096</totalmincost>
    <upfront>$0</upfront>
    <imageurl>http://store.vodafone.com.au/Images/Upload/nokia-6260-slide-front_118x307.png</imageurl>
    <threedurl>http://store.vodafone.com.au/handset-nokia-6260-slide.aspx#3d</threedurl>
    <smallimageurl>http://store.vodafone.com.au/Images/Upload/nokia-6260-slide-front_23x60.png</smallimageurl>
    <name>Nokia 6260 Slide $129 Unlimited Cap - 24 Months</name>
    <description></description>
    <ctppage>http://store.vodafone.com.au/handset-nokia-6260-slide.aspx</ctppage>
    <features>
      <![CDATA[
                Exclusive to Vodafone, this advanced all &ndash; in - one device has advanced web and navigation features plus a handy 360 degree Navi key to help you stay in control.<br/><ul>
        <li>5 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Flash</li>
        <li>WiFi, HSDPA and HSUPA</li>
        <li>Integrated GPS Navigation</li>
        <li>3G (<a href="/whatis3g-popup.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href,'','resizable=no,location=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,status=no,toolbar=no,fullscreen=no,dependent=no,width=600,height=590,status'); return false"><u>What's this?</u></a>)</li>
        </ul>
            ]]>
    </features>
    <available>Yes</available>
    <shippingcost>$0.0</shippingcost>
    <dimensions></dimensions>
    <manufacturer>Nokia</manufacturer>
    <modelnumber>6260 Slide</modelnumber>
    <currency>AUD</currency>
    <devicekeypoints>&lt;ul&gt;

      &lt;li&gt;5 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Flash&lt;/li&gt;
      &lt;li&gt;WiFi, HSDPA and HSUPA&lt;/li&gt;
      &lt;li&gt;Integrated GPS Navigation&lt;/li&gt;
      &lt;li&gt;3G (&lt;a href="/whatis3g-popup.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href,'','resizable=no,location=no,menubar=no,scrollbars=no,status=no,toolbar=no,fullscreen=no,dependent=no,width=600,height=590,status'); return false"&gt;&lt;u&gt;What's this?&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/li&gt;

      &lt;/ul&gt;</devicekeypoints>
    <deviceTagline></deviceTagline>
    <deviceColor>Black</deviceColor>
    <deviceSpecialOffers></deviceSpecialOffers>
    <deviceMonthlyHandsetCost>0.0</deviceMonthlyHandsetCost>
    <deviceRecommendedPlan>$129 Unlimited Cap - 24 Months</deviceRecommendedPlan>
    <deviceOverallRating></deviceOverallRating>
    <plan>
      <term>24</term>
      <monthlyCapCost>$129</monthlyCapCost>
      <getMonthly>
        <![CDATA[Monthly credit amount - UNLIMITED<br/>Monthly data - 4GB<sup>3</sup><br/>Vodafone to Vodafone Calls - UNLIMITED<br/>Also includes - Voicemail retrieval <br/><br/>Flexi credit amount - NA<br/>Standard national voice calls - UNLIMITED<br/>Standard txt and pxt - UNLIMITED<br/>]]>
      </getMonthly>
    </plan>
  </product>...etc

but it returns a error message as follows

Warning: simplexml_load_string() [function.simplexml-load-string]: Entity: line 1: parser error : String not started expecting ' or " in D:\EBU\xampp\htdocs\biglinks\include\productUpdate.php on line 24

Warning: simplexml_load_string() [function.simplexml-load-string]: <?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?> in D:\EBU\xampp\htdocs\biglinks\include\productUpdate.php on line 24

Warning: simplexml_load_string() [function.simplexml-load-string]: ^ in D:\EBU\xampp\htdocs\biglinks\include\productUpdate.php on line 24

Warning: simplexml_load_string() [function.simplexml-load-string]: Entity: line 1: parser error : Malformed declaration expecting version in D:\EBU\xampp\htdocs\biglinks\include\productUpdate.php on line 24

Warning: simplexml_load_string() [function.simplexml-load-string]: <?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\"?> in D:\EBU\xampp\htdocs\biglinks\include\productUpdate.php on line 24

Warning: simplexml_load_string() [function.simplexml-load-string]: ^ in D:\EBU\xampp\htdocs\biglinks\include\productUpdate.php on line 24......etc

I am trying to fix this issue whole day and searching solution over the net but i could not get . Please let me know the reason?

Answer 1

This is probably caused by magic_quotes_runtime adding backslashes when you call file_get_contents. Try the following:

$xmlUrl = '../products.xml';
$xmlStr = file_get_contents($xmlUrl); 
if (get_magic_quotes_runtime())
{
    $xmlStr = stripslashes($xmlStr);
}
$xmlObj = simplexml_load_string($xmlStr);  print_r ($xmlObj);exit;
$arrXml = objectsIntoArray($xmlObj);    $xmlStr = file_get_contents($xmlUrl);

Alternatively you could disable magic_quotes_runtime (although this may have effects elsewhere in your script) in your PHP configuration, via .htaccess, or by adding the following near the top of your script:

set_magic_quotes_runtime(false);

Answer 2

Just out of curiosity, why aren't you using simplexml_load_file()?

Answer 3

You should fix your XML string, it's not valid. If you want to keep the XML as is and avoid validation errors, use the 3rd argument of simplexml_load_string() to set the right options, see http://php.net/manual/fr/function.simplexml-load-string.php and http://www.php.net/manual/fr/libxml.constants.php

Btw I don't understand why it shows your XML with escaped quotes, is it escaped in the source file?