use strict;
use warnings;
use XML::Simple;

# read in the XML data file
open( INFILE, '<', 'xml_input_file.xml' )
    or die "error opening input file!";
undef $/; # slurp mode
my $infile = <INFILE>;
close INFILE;

# parse the XML file using XML::Simple
my $dataref = XMLin( $infile );

# view the parsed data structure
use Data::Dumper;
print Dumper( $dataref );