This a function will turn any XML into their array forms.  No DOM document required, its just you need to know how array works.

function xml2array($contents, $get_attributes=1, $priority = 'tag') {
    if(!$contents) return array();
    if(!function_exists('xml_parser_create')) {
        //print "'xml_parser_create()' function not found!";
        return array();
    }
    //Get the XML parser of PHP - PHP must have this module for the parser to work
    $parser = xml_parser_create('');
    xml_parser_set_option($parser, XML_OPTION_TARGET_ENCODING, "UTF-8");
    xml_parser_set_option($parser, XML_OPTION_CASE_FOLDING, 0);
    xml_parser_set_option($parser, XML_OPTION_SKIP_WHITE, 1);
    xml_parse_into_struct($parser, trim($contents), $xml_values);
    xml_parser_free($parser);
    if(!$xml_values) return;//Hmm...
    //Initializations
    $xml_array = array();
    $parents = array();
    $opened_tags = array();
    $arr = array();
    $current = &$xml_array; //Refference
    //Go through the tags.
    $repeated_tag_index = array();//Multiple tags with same name will be turned into an array
    foreach($xml_values as $data) {
        unset($attributes,$value);//Remove existing values, or there will be trouble
        //This command will extract these variables into the foreach scope
        // tag(string), type(string), level(int), attributes(array).
        extract($data);//We could use the array by itself, but this cooler.
        $result = array();
        $attributes_data = array();
        if(isset($value)) {
            if($priority == 'tag') $result = $value;
            else $result['value'] = $value; //Put the value in a assoc array if we are in the 'Attribute' mode
        }
        //Set the attributes too.
        if(isset($attributes) and $get_attributes) {
            foreach($attributes as $attr => $val) {
                if($priority == 'tag') $attributes_data[$attr] = $val;
                else $result['attr'][$attr] = $val; //Set all the attributes in a array called 'attr'
            }
        }
        //See tag status and do the needed.
        if($type == "open") {//The starting of the tag ''
            $parent[$level-1] = &$current;
            if(!is_array($current) or (!in_array($tag, array_keys($current)))) { //Insert New tag
                $current[$tag] = $result;
                if($attributes_data) $current[$tag. '_attr'] = $attributes_data;
                $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level] = 1;
                $current = &$current[$tag];
            } else { //There was another element with the same tag name
                if(isset($current[$tag][0])) {//If there is a 0th element it is already an array
                    $current[$tag][$repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level]] = $result;
                    $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level]++;
                } else {//This section will make the value an array if multiple tags with the same name appear together
                    $current[$tag] = array($current[$tag],$result);//This will combine the existing item and the new item together to make an array
                    $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level] = 2;
                    if(isset($current[$tag.'_attr'])) { //The attribute of the last(0th) tag must be moved as well
                        $current[$tag]['0_attr'] = $current[$tag.'_attr'];
                        unset($current[$tag.'_attr']);
                    }
                }
                $last_item_index = $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level]-1;
                $current = &$current[$tag][$last_item_index];
            }
        } elseif($type == "complete") { //Tags that ends in 1 line ''
            //See if the key is already taken.
            if(!isset($current[$tag])) { //New Key
                $current[$tag] = $result;
                $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level] = 1;
                if($priority == 'tag' and $attributes_data) $current[$tag. '_attr'] = $attributes_data;
            } else { //If taken, put all things inside a list(array)
                if(isset($current[$tag][0]) and is_array($current[$tag])) {//If it is already an array...
                    // ...push the new element into that array.
                    $current[$tag][$repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level]] = $result;
                    if($priority == 'tag' and $get_attributes and $attributes_data) {
                        $current[$tag][$repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level] . '_attr'] = $attributes_data;
                    }
                    $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level]++;
                } else { //If it is not an array...
                    $current[$tag] = array($current[$tag],$result); //...Make it an array using using the existing value and the new value
                    $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level] = 1;
                    if($priority == 'tag' and $get_attributes) {
                        if(isset($current[$tag.'_attr'])) { //The attribute of the last(0th) tag must be moved as well
                            $current[$tag]['0_attr'] = $current[$tag.'_attr'];
                            unset($current[$tag.'_attr']);
                        }
                        if($attributes_data) {
                            $current[$tag][$repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level] . '_attr'] = $attributes_data;
                        }
                    }
                    $repeated_tag_index[$tag.'_'.$level]++; //0 and 1 index is already taken
                }
            }
        } elseif($type == 'close') { //End of tag ''
            $current = &$parent[$level-1];
        }
    }
    return($xml_array);
}