Can $node->node_value() return a null value?

[mr_burns]

Hi,

I am using the following function to access a nodes value from an XML
file. It works fine until it discovers a empty tag. I would like to
have the option of leaving some tags empty for my script.
..
..
..
function foutput_contact ($node_name) {
$xml_document = domxml_open_file('xml/contacts.xml');
if ($xml_document) {
$nodes= $xml_document->get_elements_by_tagname($node_name);
$nodeCount = count($nodes);
$node = $nodes[0];
if ($node) {
$node = $node->first_child();
return $node->node_value();
}
}
}
The error is returned at the line 'return $node->node_value()' but
only when I use an empty node. Can this script be modified to allow
empty nodes? Cheers

Burnsy

[Janwillem Borleffs]

mr_burns wrote:

The error is returned at the line 'return $node->node_value()' but
only when I use an empty node. Can this script be modified to allow
empty nodes? Cheers

Which error is returned and what is the structure of contacts.xml?
JW

[mr_burns]

"Janwillem Borleffs" <[e-mail]> wrote in message news:<41***********************@news.euronet.nl>.. .

mr_burns wrote:

The error is returned at the line 'return $node->node_value()' but
only when I use an empty node. Can this script be modified to allow
empty nodes? Cheers

Which error is returned?

Fatal error: Call to a member function on a non-object in
/home/martyn69/public_html/oarsome/includes/functions.php on line 38

and what is the structure of contacts.xml?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
<contacts>
<address1>123</address1>
<address2>Fake Street</address2>
<address3>Springfield</address3>
<phone>0141 952 3161</phone>
<mobile></mobile>
<email>bi******@yahoo.co.uk</email>
</contacts>
The error only seems to occur when I leave a node empty (see mobile
node above).

Cheers

Martyn

[Janwillem Borleffs]

mr_burns wrote:

The error only seems to occur when I leave a node empty (see mobile
node above).

This should do it:

function foutput_contact ($node_name) {
$xml_document = domxml_open_file('contacts.xml');
if ($xml_document) {
$nodes= $xml_document->get_elements_by_tagname($node_name);
$nodeCount = count($nodes);
$node = $nodes[0];

if ($node && $node->has_child_nodes()) {
$node = $node->first_child();
return $node->node_value();
} else {
return "";
}
}
}

Or even simpler:

function foutput_contact ($node_name) {
$xml_document = domxml_open_file('contacts.xml');
if ($xml_document) {
$nodes= $xml_document->get_elements_by_tagname($node_name);
$nodeCount = count($nodes);
$node = $nodes[0];
return $node ? $node->get_content() : "";
}
}
JW