Creating XML file from HTML form

Question

Ok so I got it working, now the only problem is when a new submission is added it overwrites the previous entry. I need it to add the newest submission to the XML file and not over ride it and store it for X amount of time.

Here is the working php script that creates the xml file and takes the data from the HTML form and puts it in the XML file.

<?php

if (isset($_POST['lsr-submit']))
    {
        header('Location: http://www.mesquiteweather.net/wxmesqLSR.php');
    }

$str = '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><entrys></entrys>';
$xml = simplexml_load_string($str);

$fname = $_POST['firstname'];
$lname = $_POST['lastname'];
$location = $_POST['location'];
$report = $_POST['report'];
$description = $_POST['desc'];

$fname = htmlentities($fname, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8', false);
$lname = htmlentities($lname, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8', false);
$location = htmlentities($location, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8', false);
$report = htmlentities($report, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8', false);
$description = htmlentities($description, ENT_COMPAT, 'UTF-8', false);

$xml->reports = "";
$xml->reports->addChild('fname', $fname);
$xml->reports->addChild('lname', $lname);
$xml->reports->addChild('location', $location);
$xml->reports->addChild('report', $report);
$xml->reports->addChild('description', $description);

$doc = new DOMDocument('1.0');
$doc->formatOutput = true;
$doc->preserveWhiteSpace = true;
$doc->loadXML($xml->asXML(), LIBXML_NOBLANKS);
$doc->save('test2.xml');

?>

Here is the xml file it creates.

XML FILE

Here is the form to submit to the XML file. Submit a test submission and it takes you to the page to display but you'll notice it will overwrite the last one instead of adding to the XML file.

HTML FORM

you could research using the DOM php.net/manual/en/refs.xml.php — georgealton
– georgealton, Commented May 31, 2013 at 0:16
For the X amount of time, you'll probably need a cron job for this. — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented May 31, 2013 at 0:32
and this link phpro.org/tutorials/Introduction-To-SimpleXML-With-PHP.html - lots of helpful info in there. — Funk Forty Niner
– Funk Forty Niner, Commented May 31, 2013 at 0:55
See my edited post. I tried the example from that one link but it shows nothing. The second link I already know. I need to produce a XML file from a HTML form. — Texan78
– Texan78, Commented May 31, 2013 at 1:23

Funk Forty Niner · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-31 22:45:17Z

This is what I came up with and works well, and tested.

NOTE: However if the file (file.xml) does not exist, it will throw off an error, so if you figure out a way to automatically delete the old file(s) via CRON or any other method (you mentioned: "...and store it for X amount of time."), you'll have to come up with a way to make a pre-built structured file with at least one set of entries inside it.

E.g.:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<entries>
  <reports>
    <timestamp>May 31, 2013, 11:56 am</timestamp>
    <fname>Fred</fname>
    <lname>Fletcher</lname>
    <location>Canada</location>
    <report>Wind Damage</report>
    <description>Winds were gusting mighty hard today!</description>
  </reports>
</entries>

This is relatively easy to do, I've done it before with an if file exists....

Here is my working code:

<?php

// Script by Fred Fletcher, Canada.

$fname = $_POST['firstname'];
$lname = $_POST['lastname'];
$location = $_POST['location'];
$report = $_POST['report'];
$description = $_POST['desc'];

$xml = new DOMDocument('1.0', 'utf-8');
$xml->formatOutput = true;
$xml->preserveWhiteSpace = false;
$xml->load('file.xml');

$element = $xml->getElementsByTagName('reports')->item(0);

$timestamp = $element->getElementsByTagName('timestamp')->item(0);
$fname = $element->getElementsByTagName('fname')->item(0);
$lname = $element->getElementsByTagName('lname')->item(0);
$location = $element->getElementsByTagName('location')->item(0);
$report = $element->getElementsByTagName('report')->item(0);
$description = $element->getElementsByTagName('description')->item(0);

$newItem = $xml->createElement('reports');

$newItem->appendChild($xml->createElement('timestamp', date("F j, Y, g:i a",time())));;

$newItem->appendChild($xml->createElement('fname', $_POST['firstname']));
$newItem->appendChild($xml->createElement('lname', $_POST['lastname']));
$newItem->appendChild($xml->createElement('location', $_POST['location']));
$newItem->appendChild($xml->createElement('report', $_POST['report']));
$newItem->appendChild($xml->createElement('description', $_POST['desc']));

$xml->getElementsByTagName('entries')->item(0)->appendChild($newItem);

$xml->save('file.xml');

echo "Data has been written.";

?>

A "plug" as a comment in the script would be nice, "Script by Fred Fletcher, Canada." (wink)

Let me know how this works out for you.

Thanks, I copied it as is but it isn't working at all for me. Do I need to add that to my existing code? I don't need it to delete the entire file after X amount of time. I need it to delete entries from it after X amount of time. I am not sure if a Cron could do something like that.
@Texan78 No, it's right out of the box. Not to be added to your existing code. Yet, look at the comments in my answer on specific instructions in regards to the .xml file must exist with at least one set of entries.
@Texan78 To delete entries themselves after a certain amount of time, will ask for higher scripting/programming skills than mine.
Deleting entries isn't important right now. I can tweak that later. The file existed but there was no entry but the entries are entered from a form and there won't always be data. So it needs to be able to enter data which the script I had did, I just couldn't add data to it.
@Texan78 Notice that your original name for entrys was named entries. Thought I'd mention that, so check your form to modify it to match my script with the $_POST fields etc.

user2426701 · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-31 00:14:54Z

0

I am not sure I got your question, but if you need to create a file that is unique for each submission then you cannot simply use echo, you must actually create a file.

Also if after submitting you redirect to another PHP file, how can you handle the data to write into the variables?

Example for creating a file:

<?php // testfile.php
$fh = fopen("testfile.xml", 'w') or die("Failed to create file"); 
$text = <<<_END
Line 1
Line 2
Line 3
_END;
fwrite($fh, $text) or die("Could not write to file"); 
fclose($fh);
?>

answered May 31, 2013 at 0:14

user2426701

5 Comments

Texan78 Over a year ago

I don't need a unique file for each submission. I just need to create a single XML file that will add new submissions to it and and store those submissions in the XML file for X amount of time. Sorry, I know it's confusing, I am trying to explain it the best and easiest as I can. Once it creates the XML file, the page it redirects to is setup to read that XML file and display the data.

user2426701 Over a year ago

Well you have anyway yo use the fopen function and to just start writing at the end of the file, so it won't replace the text you already have. Also do not put the redirect at the top of your php file, but create a statement that will run once the fopen function has completed its work.

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@DiegoPucci FYI: The w switch will overwrite any content, and I quote: "w" (Write only. Opens and clears the contents of file; or creates a new file if it doesn't exist). You must use either a or a+ in order to append.

user2426701 Over a year ago

@Fred Yes sure. I was just pointing to the right direction using fopen. I wrote the comment after having written the answer

Funk Forty Niner Over a year ago

@DiegoPucci I understand. However in working with xml files, it's indeed a strange animal and needs some special attention from what I've gathered. I haven't worked with them much, probably why I tend to shy away from them. (lol)

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