The best XML writer module?

[ahammad]

Hello,

I'm trying to write some data to an XML file. What is the best module to write stuff onto an XML file?

I use XML::Simple to read stuff, and it works very well. I'm going to read stuff in using Simple, make some changes, and rewrite it to the same file. I tried XML::Writer but it was rubbish (it writes, but the file is unformatted and hard to read afterwards). Is there a better one out there, or is there a way that XML:Writer can be used to make the XML files at least more readable?

Thanks

 

[travs69]

Are you complaining that it is not "human" readable or that it is not in proper XML format? If the XML format is proper I would say it's doing its job just fine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Travis - Those who say it cannot be done are usually interrupted by someone else doing it; Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions;

 

[PaulTEG]

IN the verin of CGI:retty, there's a command line tool that you could call called XMLpretty

HTH

Paul
------------------------------------
Spend an hour a week on CPAN, helps cure all known programming ailments ;-)

 

[133tcamel]

Hi,
I'd use XML::Simple to write the same thing back to the file unless i missed something.. this code is copied from a file so you may need to tweak it per your needs

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use XML::Simple;

sub hash2xml {
    my $info = shift;
    my $xs   = XML::Simple->new( ForceArray => 1, KeepRoot => 1, ForceContent => 1, SuppressEmpty => 1, KeyAttr => 'xxx1' );
    my $xml  = $xs->XMLout( $info );
    return $xml;
}

sub xml2hash {
    my $XMLfile = shift;
    my $ref = XML::Simple::XMLin( $XMLfile, ForceArray => 1, KeepRoot => 1, ForceContent => 1, KeyAttr => 'xxx1' );
    return $ref;
}
1;

pass the new xml/hash to hash2xml.. the return of xml2hash is what you want to put back in the file... i think its pretty readable (from memory)


---
cheers!
san

print length "The answer to life, universe & everything!

 

[ahammad]

Essentially, these files will be read by the computer, but on occasion, a human will have to go in and change stuff manually.

I'll give it a shot with Simple and see what I get...

The other thing, there is an XML::Tidy module. I haven't found a lot of information on it though, but I guess I can use it to indent stuff properly. Has anyone used it before that can provide some suggestions with that?

Thanks

 

[ahammad]

BTW 133tcamel, none of the ForceArray, KeepRoot, ForceContent, KeyAttr are recognized.

Also, I do get a hash ref back. How would I use that to print the contents of the hash, or access contents of a specific tag for example?

Thanks

 

[PaulTEG]

valid xml does not need to be indented, it merely adds to the bandwidth weight of the message, as does indented html.

A browser based plug in for firefox may exist to tidy up the indentation of the XML

Paul
------------------------------------
Spend an hour a week on CPAN, helps cure all known programming ailments ;-)