- simplexml_load_string: documentation ( source)
<?php
$source = <<<SOURCE
<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?>
<SOAP-ENV:Envelope xmlns:SOAP-ENV = "http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" SOAP-ENV:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
<SOAP-ENV:Body>
<MDHeader>
<userid>inspector@prime.com</userid>
<password>prime123456</password>
<batchid>1234</batchid></MDHeader>
<RECORDSET>
<ROW id='0'>
<INSPECTIONS>
<FOLDER_ID>835410936</FOLDER_ID>
<FOLDER_ID>835221706</FOLDER_ID>
<FOLDER_ID>835222299</FOLDER_ID>
</INSPECTIONS>
</ROW>
</RECORDSET>
</SOAP-ENV:Body>
</SOAP-ENV:Envelope>
SOURCE;
$xml1 = simplexml_load_string($source);
echo $xml1->children('SOAP-ENV', true)->Body->children('')->MDHeader->userid->__toString();
$elements = $xml1->xpath('//SOAP-ENV:Envelope/SOAP-ENV:Body/MDHeader/userid');
$userid = $elements[0]->__toString();
echo PHP_EOL;
echo $userid;