How to convert an XML FIle into a SimpleXMLElement() Array?

Question

I have an XML File:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<deadlines>
    <deadline>
        <date>2010-07-01</date>
        <text>Residency Application for Fall Due</text>
    </deadline>
    <deadline>
        <date>2010-06-01</date>
        <text>Residency Application for Summer Due</text>
    </deadline>
    <deadline>
        <date>2010-07-20</date>
        <text>Summer Bill Due</text>
    </deadline>
</deadlines>

When I load the file into a PHP script using simplexml_load_file(), I get the following:

SimpleXMLElement Object
(
    [deadline] => Array
        (
            [0] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                (
                    [date] => 2010-07-01
                    [text] => Residency Application for Fall Due
                )

            [1] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                (
                    [date] => 2010-06-01
                    [text] => Residency Application for Summer Due
                )

            [2] => SimpleXMLElement Object
                (
                    [date] => 2010-07-20
                    [text] => Summer Bill Due
                )

        )

)

In order for my script to handle the XML file as an array, I need to parse the file and get it into this format:

Array
(
    [0] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
            [date] => 2010-07-01
            [text] => Residency Application for Fall Due
        )

    [1] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
            [date] => 2010-06-01
            [text] => Residency Application for Summer Due
        )

    [2] => SimpleXMLElement Object
        (
            [date] => 2010-07-20
            [text] => Summer Bill Due
        )

)

IS there a PHP function to convert the XML file? Thanks

Answer 1

$deadlines = array();
$sxe = new SimpleXmlElement($xml);
foreach($sxe->deadline as $deadline) {
    $deadlines[] = $deadline;
}
print_r($deadlines);

or

$sxe = (array) new SimpleXmlElement($xml);
print_r( $sxe['deadline'] );

---

EDIT sorry, I assumed you were familiar enough with SimpleXml to know that the constructor of SimpleXmlElement assumes you are passing the XML as a string. Either change the line to read

$sxe = new SimpleXmlElement($filename, NULL, TRUE);

or replace it with

$sxe = simplexml_load_file($filename);

Answer 2

Easiest way of doing it.

<?php
$data = (array)simplexml_load_file('data.xml');
$data = array_pop($data);
print_r($data);
?>