I didnt know if this should belong in the php or maybe a xml section? But anyways im parsing a rss feed for a website im creating and I'm getting all these funky characters where there should be quotes and such. I realize this is a problem with character encoding, has anyone ran into this with rss feeds? and is there a way around it? I will post the class im using to parse feed
You can see what im talking about by checking out this link
http://www.worcesterwideweb.com/work/fullchannel/
there are a few titles in the rss section that have the funky chars
Any help would be greatly appreciated! thanks
PHP Code:
class RSS_feed
{
// The object of the parser is to determine the "State" of the RSS/XML
// and set up the class to respond accordingly. The critical information
// is in the _handle_character_data function as that is where the
// feed information can be found.
var $flag; // To control the state of the unordered list
var $state; // To determine which element tag is being worked
var $level; // Simple XML level control
var $output; // Where the results will be stored
var $showdesc; // A flag to indicate whether or not to show the description.
var $showimage; // A flag to indicate whether or not to show the image.
var $URL; // The location of the external feed.
var $psr; // Our parser object.
var $contents; // The RSS/XML from the feed
var $rss_version; // Stores version "number"
var $limit; // The maximum number of links we want
var $channel; // Array of channel cdata
var $image; // Array of image cdata
var $item; // Array of item cdata
var $channelclosed; // To indicate state if channel closes before image tags.
// Define the functions required for handling the different pieces.
function RSS_feed()
{
// Constructor
$this->output = "";
$this->channel = array();
$this->image = array();
$this->item = array();
$this->flag = false;
$this->state = 0;
$this->level = 0;
$this->showdesc = false;
$this->showimage = false;
$this->channelclosed = false;
$this->version = 9; // set 0.9x as default;
$this->limit = 0; // use 0 as default == all
}
// METHODS AND PROPERTIES *****************************************
function Show_Description($tf)
{
// By default the description is not included in the results
// This public function allows for the description to be
// included, if desired.
if (!$tf === false)
{
$this->showdesc = true;
} else {
$this->showdesc = false;
}
}
function Show_Image($tf)
{
// By default the image is not included in the results
// This allows for the image to be included, if desired.
if (!$tf === false)
{
$this->showimage = true;
} else {
$this->showimage = false;
}
}
function Set_URL($url)
{
// This is the URL to the feed. The class expects that RSS/XML will
// be returned.
$this->URL = $url;
// Knowing this, we can get the feed contents now.
// Get the RSS/XML from the feed URL
$this->_load_file();
// Check the version of the XML and set the version state
$this->_get_rss_version();
}
function Set_Limit($cnt)
{
// This property sets the limit of links to return
// if $cnt is not numeric, 0 is returned! You get the entire list!
$i = intval($cnt);
if ($i > 0) $this->limit = $i;
}
function Get_Results()
{
// When the properties have been set, then this function should
// be called. It will return the HTML unordered list.
$c = $this->contents;
// Create the parser and set handlers.
$this->psr = xml_parser_create();
xml_set_object($this->psr, $this);
xml_parser_set_option($this->psr,XML_OPTION_CASE_FOLDING,1);
// Set the parser element handlers based upon the version.
switch ($this->version)
{
case 9:
case 2;
xml_set_element_handler($this->psr, '_handle_open_element', '_handle_close_element');
break;
case 1:
xml_set_element_handler($this->psr, '_rdf_handle_open_element', '_handle_close_element');
break;
}
// Set the handler for the cdata
xml_set_character_data_handler($this->psr, "_handle_character_data");
// Parse it.
if (!xml_parse ($this->psr, $c))
{
// This returns an error message if the RSS/XML cannot be parsed.
// Too bad.
// This indicates a bad or malformed feed!
$ln = xml_get_current_line_number($this->psr);
$msg = xml_error_string(xml_get_error_code($this->psr));
return "An XML error occurred on line $ln: $msg";
}
// Free up the parser and clear memory
xml_parser_free($this->psr);
$this->contents = "";
// Close the list and return the results
$this->output .= "";
return $this->output;
}
//**************************************************************
// HANDLER FUNCTIONS
function _handle_open_element (&$p, &$element, &$attributes)
{
// parser for rss version 0.9x and 2.0
// Set the state of the class for the benefit of the cdata handler.
$element = strtolower($element);
switch($element)
{
case 'rss':
// data at this level may not be needed
$this->level = 0;
$this->state = 0;
break;
case 'channel':
// The channel may have a title and a link and a description
// This data will not be part of the list, but will precede it.
$this->flag = true;
$this->level = 1;
$this->state = 1;
break;
case 'item':
// We have an item to process
$this->level = 3;
$this->state = 3;
break;
// some tags that will appear under 'channel'
// for now, ignore these tags.
case 'pubdate':
case 'managingeditor':
case 'webmaster':
case 'width':
case 'height':
case 'language':
$this->state = 99;
break;
case 'image':
// This assumes the image is a container element, as this is most common
$this->level = 2;
break;
case 'title':
$this->state = 4;
break;
case 'link':
$this->state = 5;
break;
case 'description':
$this->state = 6;
break;
case 'url':
$this->state = 7;
break;
default:
// ignore any undefined tags
$this->state = 99;
break;
}
}
function _rdf_handle_open_element(&$p, &$element, &$attributes)
{
// RDF mixes things up a bit so we need to pay attention
// However, when you get right down to it. There may be
// no difference in the RDF feed other than more stuff to
// ignore.
$element = strtolower($element);
// Include Dublin Core tags and full RDF specs?
// Nah!
switch($element)
{
case "rdf:rdf":
// The parser takes care of the Namespace, so we can ignore this.
$this->level = 0;
$this->state = 0;
break;
case "channel":
// Same as above.
$this->flag = true;
$this->level = 1;
$this->state = 1;
break;
case "image":
// Assumes <image> is a container element. This is most common.
$this->level = 2;
break;
case "items":
// channel parameters stop and items begin. We can ignore this.
$this->state = 99;
break;
case "item":
// We have an item to process.
$this->level = 3;
$this->state = 3;
break;
case "title":
$this->state = 4;
break;
case "link":
$this->state = 5;
break;
case "description":
$this->state = 6;
break;
case "url":
$this->state = 7;
break;
// These next two are somewhat redundant, unless strict RDF format is followed.
// Ho hum ...
// We will ignore them.
case "rdf:seq":
case "rdf:li":
default:
// ignore tags
$this->state = 99;
break;
}
}
function _handle_character_data(&$p, &$cdata)
{
/*
This function is trivialized in many examples. However, this is
where the real action lies. We have set the state of the class in order
to determine what we should do with cdata.
Changes had to be made here because the PHP parser, under special conditions
would parse the data in the elements and return it in pieces. This showed
up when the <title> contained ' or "
This function only accumulates $cdata text in arrays.
*/
// Ignore $cdata filled with blanks or nothing
$s = trim($cdata);
if (strlen($s)) {
// We really only need these things now: Title, Links and, if desired, Description and Image URL
switch ($this->state)
{
case 4: // title
switch ($this->level)
{
// This are the only levels that are important here.
case 1: // Channel
$this->channel["title"] .= $cdata;
break;
case 2; // Image
$this->image["title"] .= $cdata;
break;
case 3: // Item
$this->item["title"] .= $cdata;
break;
}
break;
case 5: // link
switch ($this->level)
{
case 1: // Channel
// Make the link for the channel and change to item level. We're done here.
$this->channel["link"] .= $cdata;
break;
case 2: // Image
$this->image["link"] .= $cdata;
break;
case 3: // Item
// Make the link for the item. Reset the flag and initialize the unordered list.
// Add the link for the item
$this->item["link"] .= $cdata;
break;
}
break;
case 6: // description
// If the description is desired, add it now.
if ($this->showdesc)
{
switch ($this->level)
{
case 1: // Channel
$this->channel["desc"] .= $cdata;
break;
case 3: // Item
$this->item["desc"] .= $cdata;
break;
}
}
break;
case 7: // Image url
if ($this->showimage)
{
switch ($this->level)
{
case 2: // Image
$this->image["url"] .= $cdata;
break;
}
}
break;
}
}
}
function _handle_close_element(&$p, &$element)
{
// Closing elements for all versions.
// Because the elements can appear in orders differing from each other
// the output is now created at the close of each of the critical elements.
$element = strtolower($element);
static $cnt;
switch ($element)
{
case 'channel': // major elements -- define closing event
// put channel information on the top. This should work even if the channel close element
// occurs before the item tags
if ($this->showimage && $this->image["link"])
{
$outbuffer .= '<a href="' . $this->image["link"] . '" target="_blank"><img src="'
. $this->image["url"] . '" border=0 alt="' . $this->image["title"] . '"></a><br>';
}
$outbuffer .= '';
if ($this->showdesc)
$outbuffer .= $this->output;
$this->output = $outbuffer;
$this->channel["link"] = "";
$this->channel["title"] = "";
$this->channel["desc"] = "";
$this->channelclosed = true;
break;
case 'image': // Image tags closed
// A little tricky here as image is often part of the channel container tags
// Some feeds close the channel element and then provide the image.
// Image has its own close element, unless the values are provided by Attributes!
if ($this->channelclosed)
{
//Put the image on the top
if ($this->showimage && $this->image["link"])
{
$outbuffer .= '<a href="' . $this->image["link"] . '" target="_blank"><img src="'
. $this->image["url"] . '" border=0 alt="' . $this->image["title"] . '"></a><br>';
$this->output = $outbuffer . $this->output;
}
}
break;
case 'item':
// Each item has its own close element
if ($this->flag)
{
// Initialize item list
$this->output .= "";
$this->flag = false;
$cnt = 0;
}
if ($this->limit > $cnt || !$this->limit)
{
$this->output .= '<h4><a href="' . $this->item["link"] . '" target="_blank">'
. $this->item["title"] . '</a></h4>';
if ($this->showdesc)
$this->output .= '<p>'.$this->item["desc"].'</p>';
if ($this->limit > 0) $cnt++;
}
$this->item["link"] = "";
$this->item["title"] = "";
$this->item["desc"] = "";
break;
default: // ignore all other close elements
break;
}
}
function _load_file()
{
// Get the raw feed from the URL. Because this uses a URL as the feed source
// it can be used to process an RSS/XML feed from any web site, including local.
$data = @file($this->URL) or die ("Could not open a feed called: " . $this->URL);
$this->contents = implode('',$data); // Put data into an array
}
function _get_rss_version()
{
// Set the version state
if (strpos($this->contents,'version="0.9')) $this->rss_version = 9;
elseif (strpos($this->contents,"rdf:")) $this->rss_version = 1;
elseif (strpos($this->contents,'version="2.0"')) $this->rss_version = 2;
}
} // end of class
