Re: Keeping XML structure with XML::Simple

[hbo]

From perldoc XML::Simple

ForceArray => 1 (in) (IMPORTANT!)
   This option should be set to ’1’ to force nested elements to be
   represented as arrays even when there is only one.  Eg, with
   ForceArray enabled, this XML:

       <opt>
         <name>value</name>
       </opt>

   would parse to this:

       {
         ’name’ => [
                     ’value
                   ]
       }

    instead of this (the default):

       {
         ’name’ => ’value
       }

   This option is especially useful if the data structure is likely to
   be written back out as XML and the default behaviour of rolling
   single nested elements up into attributes is not desirable.

Setting that option will make it easier to not mangle your XML. But XML::Simple shows its limitations when you try use it to write your XML. It's really best when used as it was originally intended, as a config reader.