Simplexml Error Handling PHP

simplexml error handling php

I've found a nice example in the php documentation.

So the code is:

libxml_use_internal_errors(true);
$sxe = simplexml_load_string("<?xml version='1.0'><broken><xml></broken>");
if (false === $sxe) {
    echo "Failed loading XML\n";
    foreach(libxml_get_errors() as $error) {
        echo "\t", $error->message;
    }
}

And the output, as we/I expected:

Failed loading XML

Blank needed here
parsing XML declaration: '?>' expected
Opening and ending tag mismatch: xml line 1 and broken
Premature end of data in tag broken line 1

Catch SimpleXML Exception only?

The problem you have is very local and can be easily handled.

Instead of using

$xml = new SimpleXMLElement($buffer);

(the exception-case is that $buffer = '')

You can make use of a function that tells you whether or not loading of the buffer did work w/o throwing an exception:

$xml = simplexml_load_string($buffer);

In case of an error, $xml will be false. So you don't have the exception problem in the first place.

Additionally I suggest you make the code more stable as well if you're interested in more detailed error handling, like checking preconditions and postconditions for the function call:

if (!is_string($buffer) || !strlen($buffer)) {
    throw new UnexpectedValueException("String with length required");
}

$xml = simplexml_load_string($buffer);
if (!$xml) {
    throw new UnexpectedValueException('String could not be parsed as XML');
}

This also shows how you can throw the exceptions you like. However as you're only concerned about a single line of code you can just catch any exception and deal with the single error-case you have there:

try {
    $xml = new SimpleXMLElement($buffer);
} catch (Exception $e) {
    $xml = false;
}

But then, using simplexml_load_string might be more handy.

Next to that, you can also enable internal error reporting of libxml and find out more about the actual problems when creating the object:

$saved  = libxml_use_internal_errors(true);
$xml    = simplexml_load_string($buffer);
$errors = libxml_get_errors();
libxml_use_internal_errors($saved);

if (!$xml) {
    var_dump($errors); // create and throw a specific exception here based on errors.
}

However, an empty string won't create any error, better take care if it with a precondition check.

Additionally:

• Make the cron-job save to a different filename while donwloading, replacing the file only when ready.
• Open the file read-only.

PHP simplexml_load_file - catch file errors

Using @ is just plain dirty.

If you look at the manual, there is an options parameter:

SimpleXMLElement simplexml_load_file ( string $filename [, string $class_name = "SimpleXMLElement" [, int $options = 0 [, string $ns = "" [, bool $is_prefix = false ]]]] )

All option list is available here: http://www.php.net/manual/en/libxml.constants.php

This is the correct way to suppress warnings:

$xml = simplexml_load_file('file.xml', 'SimpleXMLElement', LIBXML_NOWARNING);

SimpleXML Error Handling

I would just look for existence of $xml->weather->problem_cause as this seems to only appear in the bad XML.

if (isset($xml->weather->problem_cause)) {
    // you have a problem
} else {
    // you received data
}

Alternately, you might look for the presence of $xml->weather->forecast_information as a positive assertion that the data exists.

PHP SimpleXML Error Message

Is it the attributes() method not returning a value? It looks like it may be the $xml->Name that isn't set. Try checking if $xml->Name is set:

if( isset($xml->Name) )
      $value = $xml->Name->attributes();

Cron PHP simplexml error

Instead of this path you have:

/usr/bin/php -q /home/******/public_html/******/test2.php

Try using this path:

php /home/******/public_html/******/test2.php

Let me know if it works now!

Error handling in simplexml_load_file

Couple of things that helped me to solve my problem:

$foxs_url_breaking_news = 'http://feeds.news.com.au/public/rss/2.0/fs_breaking_news_13.xml';
$foxs_xml_breaking_news = @simplexml_load_file($foxs_url_breaking_news, 'SimpleXMLElement', LIBXML_NOCDATA);
if(@simplexml_load_file($foxs_url_breaking_news, 'SimpleXMLElement', LIBXML_NOCDATA))
{   
    foreach($foxs_xml_breaking_news->channel[0]->item as $item)
    {   
        $date = date('Y-m-d H:i:s',strtotime($item->pubDate));
        $news->insert(array('source' => 'foxsports',
                            'headline' => addslashes($item->title),
                            'timestamp' => $date,
                            'description' => addslashes($item->description),
                            'category' => 'Breaking News',
                            'link' => addslashes($item->link)));            
    }
}

So: I have used @ in front of simplexml_load_file to avoid error message in case it is unable to load the file
And second: I have the whole "@simplexml_load_file($foxs_url_breaking_news, 'SimpleXMLElement', LIBXML_NOCDATA)" in my IF statement, instead of $foxs_xml_breaking_news. I dont have an idea why is this working and not when i have $foxs_xml_breaking_news in my IF was not working.

I even tried if($foxs_xml_breaking_news === FALSE) but even this did not work for me.

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