Any advice on parsing an OPML file with PHP so I can import the addresses into a mySql database?

Question

I want to be able to have the user select an OPML file that contains a large number of bookmarks, then loop through each one and toss it in a mysql database.

Any direction would be much appreciated.

Answer 1

In the end, parsing any file comes down to a few things:

• Get the file from $_FILES
  Handling File Uploads (Documentation)
• Load the file into a reader
  SimpleXML (Documenation)
• Check that it is in the right format
  (This will most likely just be checking that SimpleXML didn't throw an error)
• Loop through the data
• Sanitize any data going into the database
• Enter it into the database

If this is a big file, you will also want to look it things like max_upload_size and other upload size restrictions. Also, look into a way to let the user know you are working if the script takes a while to process the file.

You can use this question to entertain them while they are waiting.