Multiple select box array

apotheosized

I have a problem that I can't seem to get a handle on and no one else seems to have had. I have a select box that needs to handle multiple selects to add multiple authors to an item. Here's (most of) the code for that, I left out the query info:

   <?php
   echo "<select name=\"personas[]\" multiple>";
   ...
   for($i=0; $i<$numRows; $i++)
       {
       $info = $result->fetchRow();
       echo "<option value=\"".$info['id']."\">".$info['name'];
       }
   echo "</select>";
   ?>

The problem here is that when I reload the page (logic at the top of the page inserts the authors and associated item), the personas array has every value in it duplicated and tacked on to the end. I.E. persona = {1, 2, 1, 2} if I've selected authors with ID's 1 and 2. Any ideas?

maxpup979

I think your query, or the logic around it may be to blame. Are you inserting the record everytime you refresh?

apotheosized

Logic at the top of the page checks for a variable to see whether the data needs to be inserted or if it should just build the page. So, initially, nothing gets inserted. However, on submit it will.

I use PHPed, an IDE for PHP development, which has a great debugger. I can verify by viewing the page source that the select box gets populated correctly. If I enter test data into the form and submit it (via POST), the debugger's first step is into the same page at the <?php tag. When I check the debugger's variable inspector, the "persona" array has the values duplicated.

I've also tested this with a static php page printing out html using "echo." Just a simple select box with 1 and 2 as options (values also set to 1 and 2) inside a form that loads itself. I get the same behavior. The array will have the values duplicate and added to the end. I don't think it's the IDE I'm using, though it seems to be the only reasonable explanation. (:

leatherback

Hi,

What is the query that selects rthe records to populate your checkboxes/ Could it be it selects the authors based on products, and therefor for each product the author gets selected, and added to your checklist?

Please post the code which generates the lists.

apotheosized

Here's the code for the query. The code that builds the select box is the for-loop above. I'm using the PEAR API, just as an FYI.

$query = "select id, name from persona";
$result = $db->query($query);
$numRows = $result->numRows();

The $db variable is, obviously, just an open link to a MySQL database. The persona table holds an auto-incrementing ID number, a name, and a couple text blobs.

Like I said before, though, I don't think it's the SQL that's messed up. I tried the same thing, creating a select box with multiple selections. It was all done with a static PHP page that loaded a seperate PHP page and I got the same behavior.

My coworker suggested writing a function to just cut off the stuff at the end of the array, which is what I'll probably end up doing. Still, I'm curious as to why this happens.

apotheosized

Just as an FYI to anyone interested, it was all the IDE. Once I actually got the thing up on our dev server, it ran fine. I thought it might just be IDE when I hit "Enter" inside a <textarea> and didn't get a newline.

Thanks for the help anyway!