Difference between simplexml_load_file and simplex

Question

I want to put a xml file into my programme and make it into an array so I can put it into a table.

I was wondering how I can do this and I have read the php manual, but I don't seem to be able to get to grips with it.

To do what I want, do I need to use simplexml_load_string, or do I need to command both of them(simplexml_load_file and simplexml_load_string), therefore load the xml file onto the programme, then turn it into a file. Or does simplesml_load_string just does all of that for me.

Also I was wondering what get_object_vars does when you put it around an array.

Answer 1

Each of the two functions returns SimpleXMLElement object, so you only need one of them depending on what you have to begin with, whether you have path to an XML file or content of the XML it self in a string variable, etc.

Notice in the documentation page, that simplexml_load_string() expects the string parameter to contain the actual XML content, while simplexml_load_file() expects the string parameter to contain path to the XML file.