Deserialize XML to an Object instance

xmlToObject.as

private function xmlToObject(xml:XML, chain:Object=null):Object
{
	if(!chain)
		chain = {};
	
	for each(var child:XML in xml.children())
	{
		(child.children().length() > 1 || (child.children().length() == 1 && child.hasComplexContent()))
		?	chain[child.name().toString()] = xmlToObject(child, chain[child.name().toString()])
		:	chain[child.name().toString()] = chain[child.name().toString()] = child.text().toString();
	}
	
	return chain;
}

xmlToObjectExample.as

var xml:XML = <data>
	<this>
		<is>an example</is>
		<of>a hierarchical</of>
		<structure>
			<that>
				<goes>many levels deep</goes>
			</that>
		</structure>			
	</this>
</data>;

trace(ObjectUtil.toString(xmlToObject(xml)));