Parsing values from an array made in javascript to php

yoki

Hi!

I wanted to know how I could parse values from an array that was made from javascript. I would like to retrieve the values stored into the array and make it accesible to php. In the form, there are numerous javascript functions that basically "adds a new author", "edits the author", "removes an author", "moves an author upward" and "moves an author downward". Each new author is stored into a list box named "AbstractAuthors[]"

The AbstractAuthors table is separated into 6 fields (LastName, FirstName, Institution, Department, City, CountriesID).

To better understand this go to:

http://www.siuadministration.com/abstracts/authors.php

I would like to be able to retrieve the values stored in the list box once the continue button has been hit. Except I have no clue where to code this and how to even code it. I would greatly appreciate your help over this!!! Awaiting your answer...

yoki

One more thing, when I try to pass the value AbstractAuthors[] to the next page and try to retrieve it using an echo command all I get back is Array in the text box. How can I read the values from this array in php?

Merve

I guess you could use JavaScript to pass each element of the array to <input type="hidden"> and 'Continue' would then be a submit button.

AVANT

Originally posted by yoki
One more thing, when I try to pass the value AbstractAuthors[] to the next page and try to retrieve it using an echo command all I get back is Array in the text box. How can I read the values from this array in php?

To view the elements in an array, the easiest way is to use the foreach function.

foreach ($AbstractAuthors as $key => $value)
{
echo "key: $key " . "Value: $value" . "<br>";
}

yoki

Thanks guys for your help! You have no idea how it is appreaciated! I was able to display the values with the foeach function...now it's just a question of getting rid of all the '{{{' and '}}}' which I guess were used to separate the 6 elements...which function should I use to do this? Anyone know?

yoki

When I insert more than one author, the foreach function only prints out the last entry in the list box. Is there a reason why?

AVANT

Originally posted by yoki
When I insert more than one author, the foreach function only prints out the last entry in the list box. Is there a reason why?

Sounds like because you are creating a muli-dimensional array.

To resolve that, you need to do a foreach inside a foreach

foreach ($AbstractAuthors as $subarray)
{
foreach ($subarray as $key => $value) 
{ 
echo "key: $key " . "Value: $value" . "<br>"; 
}
}

yoki

the foreach inside a foreach doesn't seem to work with this array 🙁

LordShryku

Have you printed your whole $_POST array to see what it looks like in there yet?

yoki

this is the output with the foreach function applied on table AbstractAuthors[]:

key: 0 Value: LastName{{{Test1}}}FirstName{{{Test1}}}Institution{{{EIMP}}}Department{{{department of test}}}City{{{Montreal}}}CountriesID{{{44}}}

Only the last record appears.

LordShryku

Sorry, just read up the post, try something like this to replace all that stuff with regular brackets. Not sure what you want to do with it from there....

for($i=0;$i<count($_POST['AbstractAuthors'];$i++) {
    $this = str_replace("{{{", "[", $_POST['AbstractAuthors'][$i]);
    $this = str_replace("}}}", "]", $this);
}

yoki

That did the trick to remove the '{{{' and '}}}' but it still only outputs my last author entered in the list box 🙁

yoki

OK I found out why it would only output the last item in my list. It's because I didn't specify to be a multiple selection. Now it works great 🙂 All my values appear correctly 🙂 Thank you for all your help!

yoki

I want to be able to put the name of the author in this way:

For example: Doe J

from this array:
key: 0 Value: LastName{{{Doe}}}FirstName{{{John}}}Institution{{{EIMP}}}Department{{{department of test}}}City{{{Montreal}}}CountriesID{{{44}}}

This has to stored in a hidden field. How do I do this? I was able to make this output with some str_replace and strtok.

Doe
John
EIMP
department of test
Montreal
44