<?php
/**
* The only reliable way of determining if a child exists
* in SimpleXMLElement is to use count(). All other methods
* do not work reliably in global or local NS.
*
* NOTE: Error suppresion on @count() is used to suppress
* "PHP Warning: count(): Node no longer exists"
*/
if(!class_exists('SimpleXMLElement')) die("Bonkers");
$xml = new SimpleXMLElement('
<xml xmlns:abstract="urn:my.org:abstract">
<abstract:node>foo</abstract:node>
<bar>123</bar>
</xml>
');
var_dump(gettype($xml->node));
var_dump(isset($xml->node));
var_dump(empty($xml->node));
var_dump(is_null($xml->node));
var_dump(($xml->node->count()));
var_dump(@count($xml->node->children()));
var_dump($xml->node->children()->count());
echo "----------------------\n";
var_dump(gettype($xml->bar));
var_dump(isset($xml->bar));
var_dump(empty($xml->bar));
var_dump(is_null($xml->bar));
var_dump(($xml->bar->count()));
var_dump(@count($xml->bar->children()));
var_dump($xml->bar->children()->count());
echo "----------------------\n";
string(6) "object"
bool(false)
bool(true)
bool(false)
int(0)
Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: count(): Argument #1 ($value) must be of type Countable|array, null given in /in/fgFa2:22
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
thrown in /in/fgFa2 on line 22
Process exited with code 255.
Output for 8.0.0 - 8.0.9
string(6) "object"
bool(false)
bool(true)
bool(false)
int(0)
Fatal error: Uncaught TypeError: count(): Argument #1 ($var) must be of type Countable|array, null given in /in/fgFa2:22
Stack trace:
#0 {main}
thrown in /in/fgFa2 on line 22
Process exited with code 255.