How to convert array to SimpleXML

Question

How can I convert an array to a SimpleXML object in PHP?

Answer 1

Most of the above answers are correct. However, I came up with this answer which solves the array_walk_recursive compatibility issue and also the numerical keys problem. It also passed all the tests I made:

function arrayToXML(Array $array, SimpleXMLElement &$xml) {

    foreach($array as $key => $value) {

        // None array
        if (!is_array($value)) {
            (is_numeric($key)) ? $xml->addChild("item$key", $value) : $xml->addChild($key, $value);
            continue;
        }   

        // Array
        $xmlChild = (is_numeric($key)) ? $xml->addChild("item$key") : $xml->addChild($key);
        arrayToXML($value, $xmlChild);
    }
}   

I have also added a test class for this which you may find useful:

class ArrayToXmlTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase {

    public function setUp(){ }
    public function tearDown(){ }

    public function testFuncExists() {
        $this->assertTrue(function_exists('arrayToXML'));
    }

    public function testFuncReturnsXml() {
        $array = array(
            'name' => 'ardi',
            'last_name' => 'eshghi',
            'age' => 31,
            'tel' => '0785323435'
        );

        $xmlEl =  new SimpleXMLElement('');
        arrayToXml($array, $xmlEl);

        $this->assertTrue($xmlEl instanceOf SimpleXMLElement);
    }

    public function testAssocArrayToXml() {

        $array = array(
            'name' => 'ardi',
            'last_name' => 'eshghi',
            'age' => 31,
            'tel' => '0785323435'
        );

        $expectedXmlEl = new SimpleXMLElement(''); 
        $expectedXmlEl->addChild('name', $array['name']);
        $expectedXmlEl->addChild('last_name', $array['last_name']);
        $expectedXmlEl->addChild('age', $array['age']);
        $expectedXmlEl->addChild('tel', $array['tel']);

        $actualXmlEl =  new SimpleXMLElement('');
        arrayToXml($array, $actualXmlEl);

        $this->assertEquals($expectedXmlEl->asXML(), $actualXmlEl->asXML());
    }

    public function testNoneAssocArrayToXml() {

        $array = array(
            'ardi',
            'eshghi',
            31,
            '0785323435'
        );

        // Expected xml value
        $expectedXmlEl = new SimpleXMLElement(''); 
        foreach($array as $key => $value)
            $expectedXmlEl->addChild("item$key", $value);

        // What the function produces       
        $actualXmlEl =  new SimpleXMLElement('');
        arrayToXml($array, $actualXmlEl);

        $this->assertEquals($expectedXmlEl->asXML(), $actualXmlEl->asXML());
    }

    public function testNestedMixArrayToXml() {

        $testArray = array(
            "goal",
            "nice",
            "funny" => array(
                'name' => 'ardi',
                'tel'   =>'07415517499',
                "vary",
                "fields" => array(
                    'small',
                    'email' => 'ardi.eshghi@gmail.com'
                ),

                'good old days'

            ),

            "notes" => "come on lads lets enjoy this",
            "cast" => array(
                'Tom Cruise',
                'Thomas Muller' => array('age' => 24)
            )
        );

        // Expected xml value
        $expectedXmlEl = new SimpleXMLElement(''); 
        $expectedXmlEl->addChild('item0', $testArray[0]);
        $expectedXmlEl->addChild('item1', $testArray[1]);
        $childEl = $expectedXmlEl->addChild('funny');
        $childEl->addChild("name", $testArray['funny']['name']);
        $childEl->addChild("tel", $testArray['funny']['tel']);
        $childEl->addChild("item0", "vary");
        $childChildEl = $childEl->addChild("fields");
        $childChildEl->addChild('item0', 'small');
        $childChildEl->addChild('email', $testArray['funny']['fields']['email']);
        $childEl->addChild("item1", 'good old days');
        $expectedXmlEl->addChild('notes', $testArray['notes']);
        $childEl2 = $expectedXmlEl->addChild('cast');
        $childEl2->addChild('item0', 'Tom Cruise');
        $childChildEl2 = $childEl2->addChild('Thomas Muller');
        $childChildEl2->addChild('age', $testArray['cast']['Thomas Muller']['age']);

        // What the function produces       
        $actualXmlEl = new SimpleXMLElement('');
        arrayToXml($testArray, $actualXmlEl);

        $this->assertEquals($expectedXmlEl->asXML(), $actualXmlEl->asXML());
    }
}