reverse input and output

Here is the 'official' definition of sitemaps in XML format:  http://www.sitemaps.org/protocol.html

I get the sense that you may be on the threshold of an "adventure" in building a PHP-based web spider.  This is a feasible task only if the target web site has a very small page count (something in the hundreds, at most).  Here is my experience:

I ran the web site of the National Presbyterian Church from 2001 through 2010.  It published a sermon a week, causing us to grow by 52 pages per year, and during much of the time a Wednesday vespers service added another 24 pages per year.  You can do the numbers pretty easily.  By 2010 we had over 760 pages just representing our sermons.  But somewhat earlier, the PHP-based spidering process began to fizzle out, running for very long periods of time as we tried to spider all the pages.  This was because we also had an online bible in two versions, the Easton Bible Dictionary, and other research and worship resources.  If all we wanted to index were the sermons we would have been OK.

I tried Sphider and it was much too slow.  I wrote my own PHP spider and it was much too slow, too.  In short, PHP is just not the right tool for something like this.

I tried other search engines including Google's version of its Site Search (now retired), Freefind and Atomz.  I had to discard the latter because of the ad-based support.  You can imagine the ads that appeared when people searched for the deepest personal and religious questions!

What I finally settled on and what I use today for the sites I manage is Wrensoft Zoom.  It runs on my desktop and spiders an 8,000 page site in about 4 minutes. The resulting search pages are highly configurable with weightings, etc.  It is easily made to fit the look and feel of the target site.  It builds XML sitemaps as well as its own high-speed proprietary data set for inclusion in the site search functionality.  It's the almost perfect solution having only the small disadvantage that I must start it manually, but that's a process that is easy enough -- it's on my Monday morning checklist to spider all of my sites.  And in a subtle way, the manual trigger is also an advantage because when I know that one of my sites is publishing new and timely information I can spider them on demand, and send the XML sitemap to Google immediately, rather than waiting for Monday to roll around.

If you think there will ever be more that a few hundred pages in the directory tree, you might want to check out Zoom and see if it can fit into your design.

Best regards and best of luck with it, ~Ray

I get the sense that you may be on the threshold of an "adventure" in building a PHP-based web spider.

Due to my lack of skills, my projects are smaller than your projects.
In addition, I read what you wrote below paragraph one and even reading this is above my skill-set.  I would have to read a book or tutorial just to understand your comment.

I have one website that has 8 pages.
I want the sitemap to say today's date (even though it was updated many days ago).

<?php // RAY_temp_rgb192.php
error_reporting(E_ALL);
echo '<pre>';

// http://www.experts-exchange.com/Web_Development/Web_Languages-Standards/PHP/Q_28273696.html

$arr = array
( 'http://www.example.com/,0.9'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=12&amp;desc=vacation_hawaii,0.9'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=73&amp;desc=vacation_new_zealand'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=74&amp;desc=vacation_newfoundland'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=83&amp;desc=vacation_usa'

)
;

$xml = <<<EOD
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
EOD;

foreach ($arr as $txt)
{
    $txt = explode(',', $txt);
    $url = $txt[0];
    $pri = isset($txt[1]) ? $txt[1] : NULL;
    $xml
    .= PHP_EOL
    . '<url>' . PHP_EOL
    . '<loc>' . $url . '</loc>' . PHP_EOL
    . '<lastmod>' . date('Y-m-d') . '</lastmod>' . PHP_EOL
    ;
    if ($pri)
    {
        $xml .= '<priority>' . $pri . '</priority>' . PHP_EOL;
    }
    else
    {
        $xml .= '<priority />' . PHP_EOL;
    }
    $xml .= '</url>'
    ;
}
$xml .= PHP_EOL . '</urlset>';

// TEST: IS IT A VALID XML DOCUMENT?
$obj = SimpleXML_Load_String($xml);

// SHOW THE WORK PRODUCT
echo htmlentities($xml);

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In Ray's working code line 7-12 have urls comma priority.  

I would have to manually copy paste 8 urls, priority from 1 website in order to populate this array.

Copy pasting is always easier for a small project like this, but I think there could be errors, plus I want to learn from your code.

What is the URL of the site?  With only 8 pages you may find that Sphider would be an acceptable solution, assuming that the pages are linked correctly.

this is website.com/sitemap.xml
using google chrome

http://website.com/ 1.0 http://www.website.com/portfolio/ 0.9 http://www.website.com/about/ 0.9 http://www.website.com/contact/ 0.9 http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/ 0.8 http://www.website.com/portfolio/web-wordpress/ 0.8 http://www.website.com/portfolio/social-media/ 0.8 http://www.website.com/portfolio/print/ 0.8 http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/cabrillo-youth-summer-institute.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/santacruz-popup-artparty.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/red-house.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/what-to-do-in.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/room-service.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/new-evolution.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/film-production-studio.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/rogueIBO.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/booster-bath.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/pilar-macchione.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/katie-mcmahon.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/genesis.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/tequila-jacks.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/em-integrated.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/em.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/orignauxmoose.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/corey-gegner.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/trey-hock.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/nathan-jones.php http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/morgan-victoria.php

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using internet explorer

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
-<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"> -<url> <loc>http://website.com/</loc> <priority>1.0</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/</loc> <priority>0.9</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/about/</loc> <priority>0.9</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/contact/</loc> <priority>0.9</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/web-wordpress/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/social-media/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/print/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/cabrillo-youth-summer-institute.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/santacruz-popup-artparty.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/red-house.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/what-to-do-in.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/room-service.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/new-evolution.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/film-production-studio.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/rogueIBO.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/booster-bath.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/pilar-macchione.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/katie-mcmahon.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/genesis.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/tequila-jacks.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/em-integrated.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/em.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/orignauxmoose.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/corey-gegner.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/trey-hock.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/nathan-jones.php</loc> </url> -<url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/morgan-victoria.php</loc> </url> </urlset>

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using internet explorer and replacing -<url with <url

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9"> <url> <loc>http://website.com/</loc> <priority>1.0</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/</loc> <priority>0.9</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/about/</loc> <priority>0.9</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/contact/</loc> <priority>0.9</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/web-wordpress/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/social-media/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/print/</loc> <priority>0.8</priority> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/cabrillo-youth-summer-institute.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/santacruz-popup-artparty.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/red-house.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/what-to-do-in.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/room-service.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/new-evolution.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/film-production-studio.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/rogueIBO.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/booster-bath.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/pilar-macchione.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/katie-mcmahon.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/genesis.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/tequila-jacks.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/em-integrated.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/em.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/orignauxmoose.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/corey-gegner.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/trey-hock.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/nathan-jones.php</loc> </url> <url> <loc>http://www.website.com/portfolio/branding/morgan-victoria.php</loc> </url> </urlset>

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what I am looking for is code that given this input produces the output we see in line 7-12 of https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/28287746/reverse-input-and-output.html?anchorAnswerId=39630861#a39630861

$arr = array
( 'http://www.example.com/,0.9'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=12&desc=vacation_hawaii,0.9'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=73&desc=vacation_new_zealand'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=74&desc=vacation_newfoundland'
, 'http://www.example.com/catalog?item=83&desc=vacation_usa'

)
;

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I am not looking for a spyder because another website worker creates this sitemap manually.  If I learned how to create a sitemap beyond my expertise of going to xml-sitemaps.com and copy pasting
or learning your solutions

 then there may be other urls that I would need to manually delete, plus I do not know priority.

You are mistaking the browser display of the file for the XML file that it is generated from.  Just like an HTML page does not look like it's source code, neither does an XML file, especially if it has a style sheet attached to it.  To view the content of an XML file, you usually have to open it in a text editor just like you have to open an HTML file to see the code.  This is what the XML text should look like in text format.  Browsers will 'format' it to some degree and it will look different.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
   <url>
      <loc>http://www.example.com/</loc>
      <lastmod>2005-01-01</lastmod>
      <changefreq>monthly</changefreq>
      <priority>0.8</priority>
   </url>
</urlset>

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Maybe I am misunderstanding what you want to achieve.  What is the input to the process?  What URL would you like us to use in order to test?  Thanks, ~Ray

To view the content of an XML file, you usually have to open it in a text editor just like you have to open an HTML file to see the code.

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I do not have access to the website server. Which browser should I use and should I click 'view source'?

Maybe I am misunderstanding what you want to achieve.  What is the input to the process?  What URL would you like us to use in order to test?  Thanks, ~Ray

https://www.experts-exchange.com/viewCodeSnippet.jsp?refID=39631349&rtid=20&icsi=3

Thanks for xml code and showing me the correct browser for xml view source