proper syntax for using arrays in a session variable

[filch]

Hi,

Can someone clear this up for me.

I want to use an array in a session variable so I do:

$_SESSION['cart[]']; to initialize. Or is it better to do:

$_SESSION['cart'] = array();

I receive a value (new) from another page so I do:

if($GET['new']
$new = $GET['new'];

I want to now check and see if this value exists in my variable $cart so I try:

if(array_key_exists("$new", $cart))
$cart("$new")++;

//(not sure if this is correct but if the key $new already exists in the array, I want to add 1 to the value matching the key $new)

else // it does not exist in the array so

$cart("$new") = 1;

// assign a value of 1 to the key $new

Does this look right? Because this is a session variable, do I have to use $_SESSION somehow with $cart in order to manipulate this array or is it sufficient once the variable has been registered to use only $cart? NOTE: I have register_globals turned off.

Thanks in advance.

Dave

[GSHelpBoy]

$_SESSION['cart[]'] I believe will create a variable cart[], so use the second method.

To use $GET['new'], you can simply use $GET['new'] as the variable or something like this:

<?php
isset($_GET['new'])
    ? $new = $_GET['new']   // Sets $new to $_GET['new'] if it is set
    : '';                   // Does nothing, $_GET['new'] is not set
?>

To check if a key exists, you can use either or these methods:

<?php
array_key_exists('new', $cart)
    ? print('new exists')            // $new is set
    : print('new does not exist');   // $new is not set
?>

or

<?php
isset($cart['new'])
    ? print('new exists')            // $new is set
    : print('new does not exist');   // $new is not set
?>

[filch]

OK .. I really am stumped here. Looking at your examples, why doesn't the following code work?

<?php 
session_start();
include('assets/includes/pc01_store_fns.php'); ?>
<?php


//do_html_header('Your Shopping Cart');
  if(isset($_GET['new']))
  {
  $new=$_GET['new'];
  echo "<font color=\"#FFFFFF\">top of the script</font><br>";
  echo "<font color=\"#FFFFFF\">the itemSKU is $new</font><br>";
    //new item selected
    if(!$_SESSION["cart"])
    {
	  //session_register("cart");
	  //$cart = array();
	  //$_SESSION['cart'] = array();
	  $_SESSION['cart'] = array();
	  if(is_array($_SESSION['cart']))
	  echo "<font color=\"#FFFFFF\" \>Cart is an array<br>";
	  $_SESSION["items"] = 0;  

	  $_SESSION["total_price"] = "0.00";
	  //echo "total price is $_SESSION['total_price']";
      $sessionId = session_id();
    }
	print_r($_SESSION);

if(array_key_exists($_GET['new'], $cart) {
  //echo "<br>The items is already in the cart. Up the quantity by 1";
  $cart($_GET['new')++;
}else {
  echo "<br><font color=\"#FFFFFF\">The item(s) is not in the cart. Add 1 to the cart</font><br>";
  $cart($_GET['new']) => 1;
  }
  print_r($_SESSION['cart']);
  echo "<br>";
  //echo "<font color=\"#FFFFFF\" \>the contents of the cart is now " .  . "<br>";

  //echo "<font color=\"#FFFFFF\">$cart[$new]</font><br>";

$total_price = calculate_price($cart);
$items = calculate_items($cart);
  }

  if($save)
  {
    foreach ($cart as $itemSku => $qty)
    {
      if($$itemSku=="0")
        unset($cart[$itemSku]);
      else 
        $cart[$itemSku] = $$itemSku;
    }
    $total_price = calculate_price($cart);
    $items = calculate_items($cart);
  }
   if($cart&&array_count_values($cart))
    display_cart($cart);
  else
    echo "<p>There are no items in your cart";
    //echo "<hr>";
  $target = "index.php";

  // if we have just added an item to the cart, continue shopping in that category
  if($new)
  {
    $details =  get_item_details($new);
    if($details["catId"])    

      $target = "products.php?catId=".$details["catId"]; 
  }
  display_button("NULL", $target, "continue-shopping", "Continue Shopping");  

  $path = $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'];
  //echo "$path";
  $path = str_replace("cart.php", "", $path);
  display_button("NULL", "https://".$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'].$path."checkout.php", "go-to-checkout", "Go To Checkout");  

  //do_html_footer(); 
?>

I am sure it will most likely be something stupid but I just can't see it.

Thanks

Dave