Can I include PHP in an XML file?

Question

I am trying to create an automatic \"sitemap.xml\", I already followed the instructions provided by Google to create one, and here is what I currently have:

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Answer 1

I, personally have never used include when creating a site map but I wouldn't see it as a problem as long as you are using valid xml elements.

You can create your xml using some of the php classes for it and just defining your content type like: header ("Content-type: text/xml; charset=UTF-8"); and from there you can instantiate your xml classes if you chose or do it all by hand

Answer 2

The answer to your question is: yes, you can embedded PHP in XML. PHP is specifically designed to be embedded: that's why <?php...?> tags exist in the first place. And PHP doesn't know or care where you embed it as long as:

• The file is sent to the PHP interpreter.
• There's nothing in the host document that inadvertently looks like a PHP start tag.

Such answer is basically irrelevant given what you want to do. Google sitemaps are XML files with a very specific syntax. Injecting the HTML code of your main menu will not make a sitemap out of it, just like opening a MP3 file in your text editor and typing your name in the middle of it will not make Freddy Mercury sing it.