XML/PHP: XML doesnt get written properly by my script -

i seem have small problem, whenever insert information via form xml file, adds information directly in previous's entry's child, instead of creating new child, entry, this:

<people> <person>     <name>lighty</name>     <age>17</age>     <sex>m</sex>     <comment>iets</comment> <name>darky</name><age>22</age><sex>f</sex><comment>things</comment></person> 

while need have something, this:

<people> <person>     <name>lighty</name>     <age>17</age>     <sex>m</sex>     <comment>iets</comment> </person>     <person>             <name>darky</name>     <age>22</age>     <sex>f</sex>     <comment>iets</comment> </people> 

i tried using "$xml->formatoutput = true;" line, add child formatoutput 1 filled in, complete fail.

any idea im doing wrong? here m php code:

<?php      echo ('script started');      //making sure script runs when use post     if ($_server["request_method"] == "post") {          echo ('-post accepted');          //load xml file variable         $xml = simplexml_load_file("phptest3.xml");         echo ('-xml loaded');          //connect form variables          $name = $_post['name'];         $age = $_post['age'];         $sex = $_post['sex'];         $comment = $_post['comment'];   echo ('-vars connected');    //function strip items not needed prevend xss/injections         function test_input($data) {             $data = trim($data);             $data = stripslashes($data);             $data = htmlspecialchars($data);             return $data;         }   echo ('-injections stripped');          //create new children in xml file , connect data  corresponding xml entries         $xml->formatoutput = true;         $xml->people[0];         $xml->people->addchild('person');         $xml->person->addchild('name', $name);         $xml->person->addchild('age', $age);         $xml->person->addchild('sex', $sex);         $xml->person->addchild('comment', $comment);         echo ('-data inserted');          //save current data xml file...         $xml->savexml('phptest3.xml');         echo ('-saved');     }      echo ('-script ended.');  ?> 

you can combination of simplexmlelement , domdocument.

this how did it:

<pre> <?php  // orignal xml - starting empty $xmlstr = "<?xml version='1.0' standalone='yes'?> <people></people>";  // load xml $people = new simplexmlelement($xmlstr);  // debug (before add) echo "<b>before</b> add\r\n"; print_r($people); echo "<hr>\r\n\r\n";  // add first person $newperson = $people->addchild('person'); $newperson->addchild('name', 'lighty'); $newperson->addchild('age', 17); $newperson->addchild('sex', 'm'); $newperson->addchild('comment', 'iets');  // debug (after add) echo "<b>after</b> add\r\n"; print_r($people); echo "<hr>\r\n\r\n";  // output modified xml formatting $dom = new domdocument; $dom->preservewhitespace = false; $dom->loadxml($people->asxml()); $dom->formatoutput = true; echo $dom->savexml();  ?> 

browser outout:

formatted xml output:

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes"?> <people>   <person>     <name>lighty</name>     <age>17</age>     <sex>m</sex>     <comment>iets</comment>   </person> </people> 

hope helps.