perl and simple xml

[toolshed]

I have a question on an xml and simple xml.
I want to know why I get the <anon> flag.

#!/usr/bin/perl
# use module
use XML::Simple;
use Data::Dumper;
use strict;
use warnings;
#default category xml
our $CAT_XML_FILE = "categories.xml";

#write data to file
sub writeCatXML($) {
    # create object
    my @array = shift;

    my $xml = new XML::Simple (NoAttr=>1, ForceArray =>1,RootName=>'CATEGORIES');

    # convert Perl array ref into XML document $data =
    my $data =$ xml->XMLout(@array);

    # access XML data
    print Dumper($data);

    #write data it was been placed in xml form
}

#main test
# create array

my @arr = {'CATEGORY' => [
            {
              'CAT_ID' => '2',
              'CAT_NAME' => 'network',
              'CAT_TEXT' => 'network ****'
            },
            {
              'CAT_ID' => '3',
              'CAT_NAME' => 'office',
              'CAT_TEXT' => 'word ****'
            }]};

#writeCatXML(\@arr);
writeCatXML(\@arr);

You see I dont want the <anon> element below. Everything else looks great in the xml, except that <anon>.

It has something to do with the array, but cannot find a reason.

$perl CategoriesWriterXML.plx
$VAR1 = '<CATEGORIES>
  <anon>
    <CATEGORY>
      <CAT_ID>2</CAT_ID>
      <CAT_NAME>network</CAT_NAME>
      <CAT_TEXT>network ****</CAT_TEXT>
    </CATEGORY>
    <CATEGORY>
      <CAT_ID>3</CAT_ID>
      <CAT_NAME>office</CAT_NAME>
      <CAT_TEXT>word ****</CAT_TEXT>
    </CATEGORY>
  </anon>
</CATEGORIES>
';

Just a perl newbie, any help i appreciate.

[dchidelf]

I think the problem is that you are passing in a reference to an array.
It seems the module expects a reference to a hash.
I think the module is labeling your data anon, because there is no key associated with the data in an array.

I've never used XML::Simple so I'm just guessing, but try the following.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by toolshed

#!/usr/bin/perl
# use module
use XML::Simple;
use Data::Dumper;
use strict;
use warnings;
#default category xml
our $CAT_XML_FILE = "categories.xml";

#write data to file
sub writeCatXML($) {
    # create object
    my $hash_ref = shift;

    my $xml = new XML::Simple (NoAttr=>1, ForceArray =>1,RootName=>'CATEGORIES');

    # convert Perl hash ref into XML document $data =
    my $data =$ xml->XMLout($hash_ref);

    # access XML data
    print Dumper($data);

    #write data it was been placed in xml form
}

#main test
# create array

my %hash = ('CATEGORY' => [
            {
              'CAT_ID' => '2',
              'CAT_NAME' => 'network',
              'CAT_TEXT' => 'network ****'
            },
            {
              'CAT_ID' => '3',
              'CAT_NAME' => 'office',
              'CAT_TEXT' => 'word ****'
            }]);

#writeCatXML(\@arr);
writeCatXML(\%hash);

[toolshed]

Cool thanks for the help. I would try it but my system crashed. I think that is probably it.