use XML::Simple;
use Data::Dumper;

my $xml = XMLin(\*DATA);
print Dumper $xml;

__DATA__
<documents>
   <document>
      <stayonhost>1</stayonhost>
      <staybelow>1</staybelow>
      <maxdepth>2</maxdepth>
      <name>Swedish Foo</name>
      <home_url>http://www.foo.se/bar/</home_url>
      <category>International</category>
   </document>
   <document>
      <stayonhost>0</stayonhost>
      <staybelow>0</staybelow>
      <maxdepth>3</maxdepth>
      <name>Swedish Bar</name>
      <home_url>http://www.bar.se/baz/</home_url>
      <category>National</category>
   </document>
</documents>
[download]

$VAR1 = {
  'document' => {
    'Swedish Foo' => {
      'category' => 'International',
      'maxdepth' => '2',
      'stayonhost' => '1',
      'staybelow' => '1',
      'home_url' => 'http://www.foo.se/bar/'
    },
    'Swedish Bar' => {
      'category' => 'National',
      'maxdepth' => '3',
      'stayonhost' => '0',
      'staybelow' => '0',
      'home_url' => 'http://www.bar.se/baz/'
    }
  }
};

I guess my point is that XML::Simple can handle tasks that are really beyond its scope, and you should be wary of that. It's great for getting stuff done quick, but you probably should pick a more industrial strength module for serious production code - like XML::Twig.

   The default value for 'keyattr' is ['name', 'key',
   'id'].  Setting this option to an empty list will
   disable the array folding feature.

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)