PHP not have a function for XML-safe entity decode? Not have some xml_entity_decode?
converters, entity, php, xml
Solution
This question is creating, time-by-time, a "false answer" (see answers). This is perhaps because people not pay attention, and because there are NO ANSWER: there are a lack of PHP build-in solution.
... So, lets repeat my workaround (that is NOT an answer!) to not create more confusion:
The best workaround
Pay attention:
- The function `xml_entity_decode()` below is the best (over any other) workaround.
- The function below is not an answer to the present question, it is only a workwaround.
function xml_entity_decode($s) {
// illustrating how a (hypothetical) PHP-build-in-function MUST work
static $XENTITIES = array('&','>','<');
static $XSAFENTITIES = array('#_x_amp#;','#_x_gt#;','#_x_lt#;');
$s = str_replace($XENTITIES,$XSAFENTITIES,$s);
$s = html_entity_decode($s, ENT_HTML5|ENT_NOQUOTES, 'UTF-8'); // PHP 5.3+
$s = str_replace($XSAFENTITIES,$XENTITIES,$s);
return $s;
}
To test and to demonstrate that you have a better solution, please test first with this simple benckmark:
$countBchMk_MAX=1000;
$xml = file_get_contents('sample1.xml'); // BIG and complex XML string
$start_time = microtime(TRUE);
for($countBchMk=0; $countBchMk<$countBchMk_MAX; $countBchMk++){
$A = xml_entity_decode($xml); // 0.0002
/* 0.0014
$doc = new DOMDocument;
$doc->loadXML($xml, LIBXML_DTDLOAD | LIBXML_NOENT);
$doc->encoding = 'UTF-8';
$A = $doc->saveXML();
*/
}
$end_time = microtime(TRUE);
echo "\n<h1>END $countBchMk_MAX BENCKMARKs WITH ",
($end_time - $start_time)/$countBchMk_MAX,
" seconds</h1>";
Problem
THE PROBLEM: I need a XML file "full encoded" by UTF8; that is, with no entity representing symbols, all symbols enconded by UTF8, except the only 3 ones that are XML-reserved, "&" (amp), "<" (lt) and ">" (gt). And, I need a build-in function that do it fast: to transform entities into real UTF8 characters (without corrupting my XML). PS: it is a "real world problem" (!); at PMC/journals, for example, have 2.8 MILLION of scientific articles enconded with a special XML DTD (knowed also as JATS format)... To process as "usual XML-UTF8-text" we need to change from numeric entity to UTF8 char. THE ATTEMPTED SOLUTION: the natural function to this task is html_entity_decode, but it destroys the XML code (!), transforming the reserved 3 XML-reserved symbols. Illustrating the problem Suppose ``` $xmlFrag ='<p>Hello world!    Let A<B and A=∬dxdy</p>'; ``` Where the entities 160 (nbsp) and x222C (double integral) must be transformed into UTF8, and the XML-reserved `lt` not. The XML text will be (after transformed), $xmlFrag = '`<p>`Hello world! Let A`<`B and A=∬dxdy`</p>`'; The text "A<B" needs an XML-reserved character, so MUST stay as `A<B`. Frustrated solutions I try to use `html_entity_decode` for solve (directly!) the problem... So, I updated my PHP to v5.5 to try to use the `ENT_XML1` option, ``` $s = html_entity_decode($xmlFrag, ENT_XML1, 'UTF-8'); // not working // as I expected ``` Perhaps another question is, "WHY there are no other option to do what I expected?" -- it is important for many other XML applications (!), not only for me. I not need a workaround as answer... Ok, I show my ugly function, perhaps it helps you to understand the problem, ``` function xml_entity_decode($s) { // here an illustration (by user-defined function) // about how the hypothetical PHP-build-in-function MUST work static $XENTITIES = array('&','>','<'); static $XSAFENTITIES = array('#_x_amp#;','#_x_gt#;','#_x_lt#;'); $s = str_replace($XENTITIES,$XSAFENTITIES,$s); //$s = html_entity_decode($s, ENT_NOQUOTES, 'UTF-8'); // any php version $s = html_entity_decode($s, ENT_HTML5|ENT_NOQUOTES, 'UTF-8'); // PHP 5.3+ $s = str_replace($XSAFENTITIES,$XENTITIES,$s); return $s; } // you see? not need a benchmark: // it is not so fast as direct use of html_entity_decode; if there // was an XML-safe option was ideal. ``` PS: corrected after this answer. Must be `ENT_HTML5` flag, for convert really all named entities.