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Simple API for XML (SAX) CHAPTER 8 The extensions covered up until now have dealt with XML in a hierarchical structure residing in memory. They are tree-based parsers that allow you to move throughout the tree as well as modify the XML document. This chapter will introduce you to stream-based parsers and, in particular, the Simple API for XML (SAX). Through examples and a look at the changes in this extension from PHP 4 to PHP 5, you will be well equipped to write or possibly fix code using SAX. Introducing SAX In general terms, SAX is a streams-based parser. Chunks of data are streamed through the parser and processed. As the parser needs more data, it releases the current chunk of data and grabs more chunks, which are then also processed. This continues until either there is no more data to process or the process itself is stopped before reaching the end of the data. Unlike tree parsers, stream-based parsers interact with an application during parsing and do not persist the information in the XML document. Once the parsing is done, the XML processing is done. This differs greatly compared to the SimpleXML or DOM extension; in those cases, the parsing builds an in-memory tree; then, once done, interaction with the tree begins, and the application can manipulate the XML. Background SAX is just one of the stream-based parsers in PHP 5. What sets it apart from the other stream- based parsers is that it is an event-based, or push, parser. Originally developed in 1998 for use under Java, SAX is not based on any formal specification like the DOM extension is, although many DOM parsers are built using SAX. The goal of SAX was to provide a simple way to process XML utilizing the least amount of system resources. Its simplicity of use and its lightweight nature made this parser extremely popular early on and was one of the driving factors of why it is implemented in one form or another in other programming languages.

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