reading XML in reverse order

[deathfist]

hi, i am making a guestbook section and i'm using php 5 and xml. i'm using the xml file to store the entries on the guestbook. but i have this problem in reading the xml file. i want the file to be read from the last entry to the first. here is the code for calling the xml:

$doc = new DOMDocument();
$doc->load( 'messages.xml' );

$messages = $doc->getElementsByTagName( "message" );
$num = count($messages);
echo $num;

foreach( $messages as $message )
{
$names = $message->getElementsByTagName( "name" );
$name = $names->item(0)->nodeValue;

$texts = $message->getElementsByTagName( "text" );
$text = $texts->item(0)->nodeValue;

$dates = $message->getElementsByTagName( "gdate" );
$date = $dates->item(0)->nodeValue;

echo "<tr> <td>$name<br />$date<br />$text<br /></td></tr>";
}


is there a way to make the foreach function to be read in reverse? thanks in advance!

[Kor]

You may try the array_reverse() php array function:

...

foreach( array_reverse($messages) as $message )
{

...

[deathfist]

tried it but it gives me this error:
Warning: array_reverse() [function.array-reverse]: The argument should be an array in C:\~act.php on line 175

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in C:\~act.php on line 175
:(

[Kor]

Hmm... what about preserving the keys?

foreach( array_reverse($messages,true) as $message )

[deathfist]

i also receive the same message:
Warning: array_reverse() [function.array-reverse]: The argument should be an array in C:\~1\contact.php on line 178

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in C:\~1\contact.php on line 178

[Kor]

I don't know what to say... as I am not a php devoted coder... what if we would move or make a copy of this thread to the php Forum?

[jkmyoung]

Why not just use a reverse for loop instead of a for-each?

for ($i = $num - 1; $i >= 0; i++)
...
$message = $messages[$i];

[Kor]

Shouldn't be?
for ($i = $num - 1; $i >= 0; i--)

[jkmyoung]

Ah true say! I'd forgotten about that.

[deathfist]

i have tried that also. anyway,thanks for the replay guys. maybe you are right, i'll post this on the php thread. thanks!

[scragar]

$messages = $doc->getElementsByTagName( "message" );
$num = $messages->length;
echo $num;
for ($i = $num-1; $i >= 0; $i--){
$message = $messages->item($i);
$names = $message->getElementsByTagName( "name" );
$name = $names->item(0)->nodeValue;

$texts = $message->getElementsByTagName( "text" );
$text = $texts->item(0)->nodeValue;

$dates = $message->getElementsByTagName( "gdate" );
$date = $dates->item(0)->nodeValue;

echo "<tr> <td>$name<br />$date<br />$text<br /></td></tr>";
}

untested.

[deathfist]

gee thanks it worked!! this line made the differece:
$message = $messages->item($i);
:D

[lionMUC]

I know this thread is dead old but I stumbled across it, so others may too in future.

Nice solution nowadays:


$messages = array_reverse($doc->xpath('message'));

foreach($messages as $message){
...
}