Exporting

Laravel XML Reader & Writer

• Base Methods
• Exporting arrays
• Exporting a array without keys
• Changing the name
  • Using a custom and name.
• Exporting views
• Pretty output

Exporting data to XML

An easy way to export your data to XML is using the XML::export method. This method can load views or translate arrays to XML.

Base Methods

Some important methods you need to know about.

• setRootTag(string $name) or rootTag(string $name) - if you want to change the tag name. Default export
• version(string $version) - if you want to change the xml version. Default 1.0
• encoding(string $encoding) - if you want to change the xml encoding. Default UTF-8
• toString() - if you want to get the xml output as a string
• toFile(string $path) - if you want to save the xml to a file directly.
• forceItemName() - if you want to disable default item name generation
• disableRootTag() - if you want to disable the root tag

Exporting arrays

To export a array to xml you need to use the export() method.

$data = [
    'file' => [
        [
            'name' => 'file1',
            'type' => 'pdf',
        ],
        [
            'name' => 'file2',
            'type' => 'png',
        ],
        [
            'name' => 'file3',
            'type' => 'xml',
        ],
    ],
];

$xml = XML::export($data)
    ->toString();

This produces the following xml as a string

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<files>
  <file>
    <name>file1</name>
    <type>pdf</type>
  </file>
  <file>
    <name>file2</name>
    <type>png</type>
  </file>
  <file>
    <name>file3</name>
    <type>xml</type>
  </file>
</files>

If you want to save it as a file simply replace toString() with toFile("/my/path/file.xml")

Exporting a array without keys

Version 2 of the package makes it possible to export simple arrays that do not have keys.

$data = [
    'file1',
    'file2',
    'file3',
];

$xml = XML::export($data);

Would create

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
  <item>file1</item>
  <item>file2</item>
  <item>file3</item>
</root>

Changing the name

If you want to change to item name set it using ->itemName($name).

$data = [
    'file1',
    'file2',
    'file3',
];

$xml = XML::export($data)
    ->itemName('file');

Would create

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
  <file>file1</file>
  <file>file2</file>
  <file>file3</file>
</root>

Using a custom and name.

By default the default item name is based on a singular case of the root tag. If the root tag is "root" we will use "item" as the default item name.

If you are using a custom root tag like "files" we would set the default item name to "file". To set your own item name use ->itemName($name) and then ->forceItemName().

$data = [
    'file1',
    'file2',
    'file3',
];

$xml = XML::export($data)
    ->rootTag('user_files')
    ->itemName('file');

Would create

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<user_files>
    <user_file>file1</user_file>
    <user_file>file2</user_file>
    <user_file>file3</user_file>
</user_files>

$data = [
    'file1',
    'file2',
    'file3',
];

$xml = XML::export($data)
    ->rootTag('user_files')
    ->itemName('file')
    ->forceItemName();

Would create

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<user_files>
    <file>file1</file>
    <file>file2</file>
    <file>file3</file>
</user_files>

Exporting views

To export a view simply call exportView($viewName, $data = [])

$xml = XML::exportView('my-view', [])
    ->toString();

Pretty output

By default, the exported XML will be minified. To get the XML in a pretty format pass true to the toString() method. Or you can use usePrettyOutput() when using the toFile() method.

$xml = XML::export($data)
    ->toString(true);
    
XML::export($data)
    ->usePrettyOutput()
    ->toFile($filename);