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The Laravel XML package provides powerful exporting capabilities to convert PHP arrays and Laravel views into well-formed XML documents.

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Exporting arrays

Export PHP arrays to XML using the XML::export() method: 
use Flowgistics\XML\XML;

$data = [
    'note' => [
        'to' => 'John',
        'from' => 'Jane',
        'heading' => 'Reminder',
        'body' => 'Meeting at 3pm'
    ]
];

$xml = XML::export($data)->toString();
This generates: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
    <note>
        <to>John</to>
        <from>Jane</from>
        <heading>Reminder</heading>
        <body>Meeting at 3pm</body>
    </note>
</root>

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Configuring the XML output

The XMLBuilder class provides several configuration options:

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Setting the XML version

Specify the XML version (defaults to “1.0”): 
XML::export($data)
    ->version('1.1')
    ->toString();

​
Setting the encoding

Set the character encoding (defaults to “UTF-8”): 
XML::export($data)
    ->encoding('ISO-8859-1')
    ->toString();

​
Customizing the root tag

Change the root tag name from the default “root”: 
XML::export($data)
    ->rootTag('notes')
    ->toString();
This generates: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<notes>
    <!-- content here -->
</notes>

​
Disabling the root tag

Remove the root tag entirely: 
XML::export($data)
    ->disableRootTag()
    ->toString();

​
Setting the item name

Customize the default name for array items without keys: 
$data = ['Apple', 'Banana', 'Orange'];

XML::export($data)
    ->itemName('fruit')
    ->toString();
This generates: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
    <fruit>Apple</fruit>
    <fruit>Banana</fruit>
    <fruit>Orange</fruit>
</root>

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Force item name usage

Force the use of the item name instead of generating names based on the root tag: 
XML::export($data)
    ->forceItemName()
    ->toString();

​
Pretty output

Format the XML output with indentation for readability: 
$xml = XML::export($data)
    ->usePrettyOutput()
    ->toString();

// Or pass it directly to toString()
$xml = XML::export($data)->toString(true);

​
Saving to file

Save the XML directly to a file: 
XML::export($data)
    ->usePrettyOutput()
    ->toFile('output.xml');

​
Exporting nested arrays

The exporter handles nested arrays automatically: 
$data = [
    'notes' => [
        [
            'to' => 'John',
            'from' => 'Jane',
            'body' => 'First note'
        ],
        [
            'to' => 'Alice',
            'from' => 'Bob',
            'body' => 'Second note'
        ]
    ]
];

$xml = XML::export($data)->toString();
This generates: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
    <notes>
        <note>
            <to>John</to>
            <from>Jane</from>
            <body>First note</body>
        </note>
        <note>
            <to>Alice</to>
            <from>Bob</from>
            <body>Second note</body>
        </note>
    </notes>
</root>
The exporter automatically converts numeric array keys into singular forms of the parent element name.

​
Exporting Laravel views

Export Laravel Blade views to XML format using XML::exportView(): 
$xml = XML::exportView('notes.show', ['note' => $note])->toString();
The exportView() method accepts:
  • $viewName (string) - The name of the view
  • $data (array, optional) - Data to pass to the view

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View example

Create a Blade view at resources/views/notes/show.blade.php: 
@foreach($notes as $note)
<note completed="{{ $note->completed }}">
    <to>{{ $note->to }}</to>
    <from>{{ $note->from }}</from>
    <heading>{{ $note->heading }}</heading>
    <body>{{ $note->body }}</body>
</note>
@endforeach
Then export it: 
$notes = Note::all();

$xml = XML::exportView('notes.show', ['notes' => $notes])
    ->rootTag('notes')
    ->toString();

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Saving view exports

Save the exported view to a file: 
XML::exportView('notes.show', ['notes' => $notes])
    ->rootTag('notes')
    ->toFile('notes.xml');

​
Chaining configuration

Chain multiple configuration methods together: 
$xml = XML::export($data)
    ->version('1.0')
    ->encoding('UTF-8')
    ->rootTag('notes')
    ->itemName('note')
    ->usePrettyOutput()
    ->toString();

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Working with the XMLBuilder

Both ArrayExporter and ViewExporter extend the XMLBuilder class, which provides these methods:
  • version(string $version) - Set the XML version
  • encoding(string $encoding) - Set the character encoding
  • rootTag(string $name) - Set the root tag name
  • itemName(string $name) - Set the default item name
  • disableRootTag() - Disable the root tag
  • forceItemName() - Force usage of item name

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Next steps

Importing

Import XML files into your application

Optimization

Optimize key naming conventions

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