Set up character data handler

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- PHP Manual
- XML Parser Functions
- Set up character data handler

# xml_set_character_data_handler

(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7, PHP 8)

xml_set_character_data_handler — Set up character data handler

### Description

xml_set_character_data_handler(XMLParser `$parser`, callable|string|null `$handler`): true

Sets the character data handler function for the XML parser `parser`.

### Parameters

`parser`

  The XML parser.

`handler`

  If `null` is passed, the handler is reset to its default state.

  Warning

  An empty string will also reset the handler, however this is deprecated as of PHP 8.4.0.

  If `handler` is a callable, the callable is set as the handler.

  If `handler` is a string, it can be the name of a method of an object set with xml_set_object().

  Warning

  This is deprecated as of PHP 8.4.0.

  Warning

  As of PHP 8.4.0, the callable is checked to be valid while setting the handler, not when it is called. This means that xml_set_object() must be called prior to setting a method string as the callback. However, as this behaviour is also deprecated as of PHP 8.4.0, using a proper callable for the method is recommended instead.

  The signature of the handler must be:

  handler(XMLParser `$parser`, string `$data`): void
  `parser`
    The XML parser calling the handler.
  `data`
    Character data as a string.

  Character data handler is called for every piece of a text in the XML document. It can be called multiple times inside each fragment (e.g. for non-ASCII strings).

### Return Values

Always returns `true`.

### Changelog

Version | Description
--- | ---
8.4.0 | Passing a non-callable string to `handler` is now deprecated, use a proper callable for methods, or `null` to reset the handler.
8.4.0 | The validity of `handler` as a callable is now checked when setting the handler instead of checking when calling it.
8.0.0 | `parser` expects an XMLParser instance now; previously, a valid `xml` resource was expected.