parse – MaxVergelli.com

How to parse and process HTML/XML in PHP

Max — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 16:44:00 +0000

Simple HTML DOM is a great open-source parser:

It treats DOM elements in an object-oriented way, and the new iteration has a lot of coverage for non-compliant code. There are also some great functions like you’d see in JavaScript, such as the “find” function, which will return all instances of elements of that tag name.

I’ve used this in a number of tools, testing it on many different types of web pages, and I think it works great.

These are the main features:

HTML DOM parser written in PHP 5+ that lets you manipulate HTML in a very easy way
Require PHP 5+
Supports invalid HTML
Find tags on an HTML page with selectors just like jQuery
Extract contents from HTML in a single line

How to get HTML elements:

// Create DOM from URL or file
$html = file_get_html('http://www.example.com/');

// Find all images
foreach($html->find('img') as $element)
       echo $element->src . '
';

// Find all links
foreach($html->find('a') as $element)
       echo $element->href . '
';

How to modify HTML elements:

// Create DOM from string
$html = str_get_html('Hello
World');

$html->find('div', 1)->class = 'bar';

$html->find('div[id=hello]', 0)->innertext = 'foo';

echo $html;

Extract content from HTML:

// Dump contents (without tags) from HTML
echo file_get_html('http://www.google.com/')->plaintext;

Scraping Slashdot:

// Create DOM from URL
$html = file_get_html('http://slashdot.org/');

// Find all article blocks
foreach($html->find('div.article') as $article) {
    $item['title']     = $article->find('div.title', 0)->plaintext;
    $item['intro']    = $article->find('div.intro', 0)->plaintext;
    $item['details'] = $article->find('div.details', 0)->plaintext;
    $articles[] = $item;
}

print_r($articles);

How to export an ASP Associative Array to XML

Max — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 16:27:57 +0000

“Asp Associative Array Class” provides a method to easly export all items to a well formatted XML string. For example, You can create a new *.ASP file :

[sourcecode language=”vb”]

<%
Dim Person, God
Set Person = New AssociativeArray
Set God = New AssociativeArray
Person("name") = "Max"
Person("surname") = "Vergelli"
God("name") = "Jesus"
God("surname") = "Christ"
Dim World
Set World = New AssociativeArray
World(1) = Person
World(2) = God
response.Write World.ToXML()
%>
[/sourcecode]

And You will get out the following XML:

[sourcecode language=”xml”]

[/sourcecode]

How to use Associative Arrays in ASP

Max — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 16:03:13 +0000

First of all, You need to download the “Asp Associative Array class” then include the file “AssociativeArrayClass.asp” in your asp page.

Right now, You can start declaring associative arrays in ASP with the following syntax:

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
Dim Person
Set Person = New AssociativeArray
Person("name") = "Max"
Person("surname") = "Vergelli"
Response.Write Person("name") & " " & Person("surname")
[/sourcecode]

In the above example, the key “name” in “Person” object, stores “Max” value. You can set strings or integers for the key and any object/variant type for the relative value. However, You can not set key with Null or “” strings like the following:

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
‘invalid keys…
Person(Null) = "Null Key"
Person("") = "Empty String"
Dim undefined
Person(undefined) = "Variable Not Initialized"
Response.Write Person("") & Person(Null) & Person(undefined)
[/sourcecode]

How to get every item of the associative array:
You can make a “For Each” loop on the array like in the following code

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
For Each element In Person.Items
Response.Write element.Key & " : " & element.Value & vbCrLf
Next
[/sourcecode]

“Person.Items” gets all the items inside the associative array and for each item You can get “Key” and “Value” properties.

How to copy an associative array:

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
Dim Person_Clone             ‘it’s a Variant type
Set Person_Clone = Person    ‘NOTE: Use "Set" statement!
‘print values
Response.Write Person_Clone("name") & " " & Person_Clone("surname") & vbCrLf
‘get each key/value
For Each element In Person_Clone.Items
   Response.Write element.Key & " : " & element.Value & vbCrLf
Next
[/sourcecode]

How to create nested associative arrays…
You can create infinite nested associative arrays and accessing them like the following:

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
Dim Person
Set Person = New AssociativeArray
Person("name") = "Max"
Person("surname") = "Vergelli"
Dim People
Set People = New AssociativeArray
People(1) = Person
People(2) = Person
People(3) = Person
Response.Write People(1)("name") & " " & People(1)("surname")
[/sourcecode]

Besides, You can enumerate all the keys/values inside the “People” associative array object

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
For Each element In People.Items
   Dim el_person
   Set el_person = element.Value
   Response.Write el_person("name") & " : " & el_person("surname") & vbCrLf
Next
[/sourcecode]

VBScript Class to create easly Associative Arrays in ASP like in PHP

Max — Wed, 22 Jan 2020 15:53:47 +0000

I’ve posted a project at Source Forge with an ASP/VBScript class to create easly associative arrays like in PHP; visit http://sourceforge.net/projects/asp-assoc-array/

It is possible also load in an associative-array the data coming from MySQL or MS Access databases, then You can programmatically manage the structured data; You can also export associative arrays to XML.

Associative arrays are usefull when it is necessary manage many variables at once (for example when we pass multiple values at once to a method/function) or just to store data in a well structured array and reusing its values anytime.

Online JSON Validator

Max — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 15:16:20 +0000

If You are bored of having to test many JSON structures in JavaScript, You can validate your JSON data with this useful online tool: http://jsonlint.com/

PHP Date or Datetime to MySQL Datetime and viceversa

Max — Sat, 21 Dec 2019 15:10:11 +0000

Two useful PHP functions to convert normal date/datetime (“25.12.2010 12:10:00” or “25.12.2010”) to MySQL datetime (like “2010-12-25 12:10:00” or “2010-12-25 00:00:00″); You can get back a date/datetime from MySQL datetime too:

[sourcecode language=”php”]
function datetime2mysqldatetime($datetime){ // ‘25.12.2010 12:10:00’ -> ‘2010-12-25 12:10:00’
return date(‘Y-m-d H:i:s’, strtotime($datetime)); // ‘25.12.2010’ -> ‘2010-12-25 00:00:00’
}

Max 🙂

Javascript isArray() function

Max — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 14:50:42 +0000

Javascript does not provide a function to recognize if a variable is an array or not; you can make a “typeof” of the variable however u’ll get an ‘object’ datatype, as in the following code
[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
var myarray = [1, 2, 3];
var myobject = { key: ‘value’ };
alert(typeof myarray); //return ‘object’
alert(typeof myobject); //return ‘object’
[/sourcecode]

to recognize a data type ‘object’ from ‘array’, you need a specialized function like this…
[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
function isArray(value){
var b = typeof value;
if(b === ‘object’){
if(value){
b = (typeof value.length === ‘number’ &&
!(value.propertyIsEnumerable(‘length’)) &&
typeof value.splice === ‘function’) ? true : false;
}else{
b = false;
};
};
return b;
};
var myarray = [1, 2, 3];
var myobject = { key: ‘value’ };
alert(isArray(myarray)); //return true
alert(isArray(myobject)); //return false
[/sourcecode]

Good work!
Max 🙂

How to stringify an object in Javascript: converting an object to a padded & well-formatted string or simply inline

Max — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:45:36 +0000

I wrote a function to convert an object in a string (stringification) without using a JSON library; you can convert an object to a well formatted string with padding or simply to an unique line:

[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
function stringify(object, padding, margin){
var o = (typeof object == ‘object’ || typeof object == ‘function’) && object != null ? object : null;
var p = typeof padding == ‘boolean’ && padding ? true : false;
var m = typeof margin == ‘number’ && margin>0 && p ? margin : 0;
if(o != null){
var s = ”;
var a = function(o){return (typeof o === ‘object’ && o ? ((typeof o.length === ‘number’ &&!(o.propertyIsEnumerable(‘length’)) && typeof o.splice === ‘function’) ? true : false) : false);}; //is array?
for(var v in o){
s += typeof o[v] === ‘object’ ? (o[v] ? (
(typeof o[v].length === ‘number’ && !(o[v].propertyIsEnumerable(‘length’)) && typeof o[v].splice === ‘function’) ?
(m>0 ? Array(m).join(‘ ‘):”) + v + ‘:’ + (p ? ‘ ‘:”) + ‘[‘ + (p ? ‘rn’:”) + stringify(o[v],p,(m>0?m:1)+v.length+4) + (p!=true ? ” : ‘rn’ + Array((m>0?m:1)+v.length+2).join(‘ ‘)) + ‘],’ + (p ? ‘rn’:”) :
(m>0 ? Array(m).join(‘ ‘):”) + v + ‘:’ + (p ? ‘ ‘:”) + ‘{‘ + (p ? ‘rn’:”) + stringify(o[v],p,(m>0?m:1)+v.length+4) + (p!=true ? ” : ‘rn’ + Array((m>0?m:1)+v.length+2).join(‘ ‘)) + ‘},’ + (p ? ‘rn’:”)
) : (m>0 ? Array(m).join(‘ ‘):”) + v + ‘:’ + (p ? ‘ ‘:”) + o[v] + ‘,’ + (p ? ‘rn’:”))
: (m>0 ? Array(m).join(‘ ‘):”) + v + ‘:’ + (p ? ‘ ‘:”) + (typeof o[v] == ‘string’ ? ”’ + o[v].replace(/’/g,’\”) + ”’ : o[v]) + ‘,’ + (p ? ‘rn’:”);
};
o = s.length>0 && p!=true ? s.substring(0, s.length-1) : (s.length>2 ? s.substring(0, s.length-3) : s);
}else{
o = object;
};
return o;
};
[/sourcecode]

a little example, you declare same variable….

[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
var associative_array = new Array();
associative_array[‘one’] = 1;
associative_array[‘two’] = 2;
associative_array[‘undefinedvar’];

var myobject = {
mystring: ‘value’,
myquoted: ‘string with ‘single quotation mark”,
mynumber: 1,
myboolean: true,
myarray: [1, 2, 3],
myassocarray: associative_array,
myobject: {
obj_string: ‘hi!’,
obj_number: 1,
obj_array: [
‘just’, ‘a’, ‘test’, 1, false,
[‘array’, ‘inside’, ‘array’],
{
object: ‘inside array’,
array: [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
},

]
},
mynullvalue: null,
myundefined: associative_array[‘undefinedvar’],
myfunction: function(){ var s = ‘hello!’; return s; }
};
[/sourcecode]

then, for an inline stringification, you can use

[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
var str = stringify(myobject);
[/sourcecode]

and “str” value will be a string as

[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
mystring:’value’,myquoted:’string with ‘single quotation mark”,mynumber:1,myboolean:true,myarray:[0:1,1:2,2:3],myassocarray:[one:1,two:2],myobject:{obj_string:’hi!’,obj_number:1,obj_array:[0:’just’,1:’a’,2:’test’,3:1,4:false,5:[0:’array’,1:’inside’,2:’array’],6:{object:’inside array’,array:[0:1,1:2,2:3,3:4,4:5,5:6,6:7,7:8,8:9]}]},mynullvalue:null,myundefined:undefined,myfunction:function () {
var s = "hello!";
return s;
}
[/sourcecode]

Instead, for a stringification with a well formatted padding, you can use

[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
var str_formatted = stringify(myobject, true);
[/sourcecode]

and this is the “str_formatted” value:

[sourcecode language=”javascript”]
mystring: ‘value’,
myquoted: ‘string with ‘single quotation mark”,
mynumber: 1,
myboolean: true,
myarray: [
0: 1,
1: 2,
2: 3
],
myassocarray: [
one: 1,
two: 2
],
myobject: {
obj_string: ‘hi!’,
obj_number: 1,
obj_array: [
0: ‘just’,
1: ‘a’,
2: ‘test’,
3: 1,
4: false,
5: [
0: ‘array’,
1: ‘inside’,
2: ‘array’
],
6: {
object: ‘inside array’,
array: [
0: 1,
1: 2,
2: 3,
3: 4,
4: 5,
5: 6,
6: 7,
7: 8,
8: 9
]
}
]
},
mynullvalue: null,
myundefined: undefined,
myfunction: function () {
var s = "hello!";
return s;
}
[/sourcecode]

Finally, when you pass a variable to stringify() that is not an object, it will just return the value.

Happy stringifications!

Max 🙂

How to remove accent marks and german umlauts from URLs and Strings in .NET

Max — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 14:40:50 +0000

I wrote two functions in .NET to remove easly any accent and umlaut marks from a string and to get the equivalent non-accented string, this is very useful to normalize URLs; for example, with the StripAccentMarks() method, from “àbcdèéfghìlmnòpqrstùvzäöüÄÖÜ” u’ll get “abcdeefghilmnopqrstuvzaouAOU”;

besides, if u’ll need to convert each german umlaut to the corresponding two-letter chars, u can also use the ReplaceGermanUmlauts() method…

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
Public Shared Function StripAccentMarks(ByVal input_string As String) As String
Dim n_s As String = input_string.Normalize(NormalizationForm.FormD)
Dim s As New StringBuilder()
Dim c As Char
For i As Integer = 0 To n_s.Length – 1
c = n_s(i)
If System.Globalization.CharUnicodeInfo.GetUnicodeCategory(c) <> System.Globalization.UnicodeCategory.NonSpacingMark Then
s.Append(c)
End If
Next
Return s.ToString
End Function
[/sourcecode]
[sourcecode language=”vb”]
Public Shared Function ReplaceGermanUmlauts(ByVal input_string As String) As String
Dim s As String = input_string
s = s.Replace("ä", "ae")
s = s.Replace("ö", "oe")
s = s.Replace("ü", "ue")
s = s.Replace("Ä", "Ae")
s = s.Replace("Ö", "Oe")
s = s.Replace("Ü", "Ue")
s = s.Replace("ß", "ss")
Return s
End Function
[/sourcecode]

Have a nice day!

Max 😀

Multilingual applications with VB.NET

Max — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 14:36:19 +0000

In this simple tutorial you’ll learn how to manage different languages for a vb.NET application and the simplest way to access programmatically to the string values in the resource compiled files (*.resx) created by Visual Studio;

Adding resource files:

First of all, add a folder named “resources/” in your project.

Inside this folder, right click then from the context menu choose “add an element” -> “new element” -> select “Resource File (resx)” -> create a file named “Resources.en-US.resx”

In the “Resources.en-US.resx” file, You have to write all the strings used by your application.
It’s important that your language resource file is named as “Resources.{Language Code Name}.resx”, so VS can reach automatically this file.

The rsx file is just a list of Key-Value items, then You have to give a key-name for each string value; don’t use spaces in key-names, otherwise it’s best using “_” symbol.

Insert only two test lines in your new rsx file as the following…

KEY – VALUE:
TEST_STRING1 us1 TEST_STRING2 us2

Then, compile your project and if it’s all right, You will find a new folder in “binRelease” named “en-US” created by VS, with a file “{your project name}.resources.dll”; this file contains all the strings for the english-US language (“en-US”) and right now You can access them programmatically.

If You want add a new language to your application, just copy the rsx file and rename it in “Resources.{Language Code Name}.resx” where the language code name is one of those listed at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee825488(v=cs.20).aspx.

Step 2, how to programmatically select the language and strings:

Add a vb class “Resources.vb” in the “resources” folder with the following code

[sourcecode language=”vb”]
Public Class Resources

Public Shared Function GetValue(ByVal name As ResourceName) As String
Return My.Resources.ResourceManager.GetObject(name.ToString)
End Function

Public Shared Property Language() As CultureCodeName
Get
Dim c As CultureCodeName = Nothing
Dim cs As String = System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture.ToString().Replace(New Char() {"-"c}, New Char() {"_"c})
For Each cc As CultureCodeName In [Enum].GetValues(GetType(CultureCodeName))
If cs = cc.ToString Then
c = cc
Exit For
End If
Next
Return c
End Get
Set(ByVal cultureCodeName As CultureCodeName)
Dim c As String = cultureCodeName.ToString.Replace(New Char() {"_"c}, New Char() {"-"c})
System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentUICulture = _
System.Globalization.CultureInfo.GetCultureInfo(c)
End Set
End Property

End Class
[/sourcecode]

then, add a vb “code file” named “CultureCodeNames.vb” in “resources” folder with the following code

[sourcecode language=”vb”]

Public Enum CultureCodeName

en_US
‘if You want add a new language, after creating the rsx file,
‘also add here the code name, with "-" replaced in "_"

End Enum

[/sourcecode]

Finally, add the last vb codefile “ResourceNames.vb” in “resources” folder with this code

[sourcecode language=”vb”]

Public Enum ResourceName

‘add here all the key names in the RSX file
TEST_STRING1
TEST_STRING2

End Enum

[/sourcecode]

The configuration is finished.
In your project, add a button to a form, then add the following vb code in the codebehind to learn how to access to different language RSX files and their strings inside.

[sourcecode language=”vb”]

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

‘Select a language for your app
Resources.Language = CultureCodeName.en_US

‘show test string 1
MessageBox.Show(Resources.GetValue(ResourceName.TEST_STRING1))

‘show test string 2
MessageBox.Show(Resources.GetValue(ResourceName.TEST_STRING2))

‘show the current language code
MessageBox.Show(Resources.Language.ToString)

End Sub
[/sourcecode]

It’s very useful because when you will be writing the code, VS automatically suggests the strings that you can use, saving a lot of time and by selecting a language with “Resources.Language”, You can translate your application strings on the fly.

Have a nice day!

Max