Storing multi dimensional arrays in a session variable?

GaryAC

Hi,

I am trying to obtain information from a MySQL db and store it in a session variable. This is how I am retreiving data from my db:

$myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result);
$price = $myrow["price"];

Once I have the particular data, I am storing it temporarily in a cookie, as if I just use a standard variable when I press the submit button, the value is lost.

setcookie("ckPrice","$price");

I am then putting the information into an array:

$DVD = array (
array (Title => 'Friends' ,
Tax => "2" ,
Del => "2",
TPrice => $ckPrice )
);
I have already initialized a session:

session_register("basketContents");

What I want to do is enter my array into $basketContents, and then reference the values

e.g.

for ($i=0; $i<2; $i++){
print $basketContents[$i][Title];
print $basketContents[$i][Tax];
print $basketContents[$i];
print $basketContents[$i][TPrice];
}

And put the outputs into a XHTML table structure. However I am not sure how to store multi dimensional arrays in the session variable.

Could you help me please??

Thanks

Gary

paulnaj

I think it's pretty straightforward ...
e.g.

$_SESSION[basketContents][$i][title] = 'abc';

dalecosp

session_start();

$toons=array("Donald", "Goofy", "Mickey");
$spouses=array("Daisy", "none", "Minnie");
$_SESSION['families']=array($tunes, $spouses);

(With apologies to the Italians and/or Disney employees among us....)

Assigning anything to the session array is as easy as $_SESSION['foo']="somexpression"; it's just getting the expression correct that gets me 😃

GaryAC

Hi,

I have a slight problem. I don't want to specify the length of a 2 dimensional array. I want to add new elements by the click of a button.

At present i am trying:

num = count($DVD);
$i = $num;

$DVD[$i] = array (Title => $ckBasketContents,  
Tax => "2" ,  
Del => "2",  
TPrice => $ckPrice );

So I know the number of elements currently in the Array. And I want to add a new entry after the last element, hence i = num. However this won't add a new entry it just overwites the exsisting one. Do you know how to add new additional elements to a 2 dimensional array already consisting of elements?

Thanks for your help

kevinsequeira

$DVD[] = array (Title => $ckBasketContents,
Tax => "2" ,
Del => "2",
TPrice => $ckPrice );

reg
kevin

GaryAC

Hi,

Tried that, but it still overwrites previous elements, instead of adding new ones.

Any other ideas?

dalecosp

Nope, Kevinseq's shown the way to do it. SUTC? (Show Us The Code?)

GaryAC

Ok I select info from a db, which works, and i then set the cookie variables accordinly, which works too.

When a submit button is pressed this code is run:

$DVD[] = array (Title => $ckBasketContents,
Tax => "2" ,
Del => "2",
TPrice => $ckPrice );

Then I display the contents with this:

for( $i=0; $i<count($DVD); $i++ ) {
foreach( $DVD[$i] as $key => $value ) {
print 'Key ='.$key.', value='.$value."<br>\n";
}
}

However when I get new info from the db, and try to add a new element to the array without overwriting the old one, it does not work, it just replaces the first entry i put in.

Thanks for taking a look

Ragards

Gary

kevinsequeira

could you post the actual code.
where are you getting the new info from the db , on the same page ?
after you update the $DVD array have updated the cookie with the new value.

debug

$DVD = array();
$DVD[] = array (Title => 'title one', Tax => "2" , Del => "2", TPrice => '200' );
print_r($DVD);

$DVD[] = array (Title => 'title two', Tax => "2" , Del => "2", TPrice => '100' );
print_r($DVD);

reg
kevin

GaryAC

Ok, here is my code:

<?php

//**Intializing Session***//
error_reporting(1); // suppress warning messages
session_start(); // Initialise session
session_register("basketContents = array ( );"); // Register our variables

//********create connection to database*********

//opens connection with my database. Result of connection stored in $db
$db = mysql_connect($host, $user, $passwd);

//All queries made on this database
mysql_select_db($dbName,$db);

//********Connection to database complete*******
if ($id) {

echo("<h3>Selected DVD</h3>");
echo("<strong>To purchase this item, click 'Add to Shopping Basket' Or you can continue to shop.</strong><br /><br />");

//Retreives all info on particular dvd
$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM dvd WHERE dvdid=$id",$db);

//retreiving the actor for this dvd

$result2 = mysql_query("select name from dvd dv , actor a, actordvd ad where dv.dvdid=$id and a.actorid = ad.actorid and ad.dvdid = dv.dvdid",$db);

$result3 = mysql_query("select name from dvd dv , director d where dv.dvdid=$id and d.dirid = dv.dirid");

$result4 = mysql_query("select name from dvd dv , producer p where dv.dvdid =$id and p.prodid = dv.prodid");

$myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result);

$price = $myrow["price"];
setcookie("ckPrice","$price");

//Store the title of the DVD in $selection
$selection = $myrow["title"];
//Add $selection to cookie. Cookie is required as when page is recalled $selection looses its value
setcookie("ckBasketContents","$selection");
$myrow2 = mysql_fetch_array($result2);
$myrow3 = mysql_fetch_array($result3);
$myrow4 = mysql_fetch_array($result4);

echo "<table border=1>\n";

			echo "<tr><td>Title</td><td>Description</td><td>Genre</td><td>Duration</td><td>Actor</td><td>Director</td><td>Producer</td><td>Released</td></tr>\n";

				//Prints out table contents according to coloumn name in database. Only want 'name' and 'descr',
				//do not want to show 'actorid' so left last column empty. However needs to be there or
				//an error will occur, as the table in the db has three columns, not two!!
				printf("<tr><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td></tr>\n", $myrow["title"], $myrow["descr"], $myrow['genre'], $myrow['duration'], $myrow2['name'], $myrow3['name'], $myrow4['name'], $myrow['rel']);	

			//diplay table
			echo "</table>\n";
			?>
			<form method="post" action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF?>?<?=SID?>"> 
			<input type="submit" name="add" value="Add to Shopping Basket"/>
			<input type="submit" name="clear" value="Empty Shopping Basket"/>
			</form>

<?php
} else {

$query = ("select * from dvd");
$result = mysql_query($query,$db);

if ($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {

  // display list if there are records to display

  do {

    printf("<a href=\"%s?id=%s\">Title: %s<br /> Price: %s<br /> No_In_Stock %s<br /><br /></a><br>\n", $PHP_SELF, $myrow["dvdid"], $myrow["title"], $myrow["price"], $myrow["stock"]);

  } while ($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result));

} else {

  // no records to display

  echo "Sorry, no records were found!";	

}

}

<?php
if ( $add ) {
//$basketContents = $basketContents . $ckBasketContents;
setcookie("ckBasketContents","", time()-3600);
setcookie("ckPrice","", time()-3600);

$DVD[] = array (Title => $ckBasketContents, 
				Tax => "2" , 
				Del => "2", 
			TPrice => $ckPrice ); 

print " <br /><br />";

for( $i=0; $i<count($DVD); $i++ ) { 
	//print_r($DVD[$i]); 
	foreach( $DVD[$i] as $key => $value ) { 
		print 'Key ='.$key.', value='.$value."<br>\n"; 
} 
	}

//Now need to add $DVD to session variable $basketContents
//$basketContents = $DVD;

}elseif($clear){
$basketContents = "";
setcookie("ckBasketContents","", time()-3600);
setcookie("ckPrice","", time()-3600);
}

<?php
echo "<p>Basket contains:</p>";
echo "<ul>$basketContents</ul>";

</body>

</html>

The cookie is set when $id is tru. $id is true when you click on the href link.

Hope this code is readable ok, thanks for taking a look.

Reg

Gary

kevinsequeira

<?php
//debug
print_r($_COOKIE);
// or depending on PHP version 
//print_r($HTTP_COOKIE_VARS);

//*****Intializing Session******//
error_reporting(1); // suppress warning messages

//***********create connection to database************
//opens connection with my database. Result of connection stored in $db
mysql_connect($host, $user, $passwd);
//All queries made on this database
mysql_select_db($dbName);
//***********Connection to database complete**********

// if dvd select from the list through the a href
if ($_GET['id']) {
?>
<h3>Selected DVD</h3>
<strong>To purchase this item, click 'Add to Shopping Basket' Or you can continue to shop.</strong><br /><br />
<?php
/* you should try to optimise the 4 queries into a single one */

//Retreives all info on particular dvd
$id = $_GET['id'];

$result = mysql_query("SELECT * FROM dvd WHERE dvdid = ".$id);
//retreiving the actor for this dvd
$result2 = mysql_query("select name from dvd dv , actor a, actordvd ad where dv.dvdid=$id and a.actorid = ad.actorid and ad.dvdid = dv.dvdid",$db);
$result3 = mysql_query("select name from dvd dv , director d where dv.dvdid=$id and d.dirid = dv.dirid");
$result4 = mysql_query("select name from dvd dv , producer p where dv.dvdid =$id and p.prodid = dv.prodid");

$myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result);
$myrow2 = mysql_fetch_array($result2);
$myrow3 = mysql_fetch_array($result3);
$myrow4 = mysql_fetch_array($result4);
?>
<table border=1>
<tr><td>Title</td><td>Description</td><td>Genre</td><td>Duration</td><td>Actor</td><td>Director</td><td>Producer</td><td>Released</td></tr>
<?php
//Prints out table contents according to coloumn name in database. Only want 'name' and 'descr',
//do not want to show 'actorid' so left last column empty. However needs to be there or
//an error will occur, as the table in the db has three columns, not two!!
printf("<tr><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td><td>%s</td></tr>\n", $myrow["title"], $myrow["descr"], $myrow['genre'], $myrow['duration'], $myrow2['name'], $myrow3['name'], $myrow4['name'], $myrow['rel']);
?>
<form method="post" action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF?>">
<input type="hidden" name="id" value="<?php echo $id; ?>"/>
<input type="submit" name="add" value="Add to Shopping Basket"/>
<input type="submit" name="clear" value="Empty Shopping Basket"/>
</form>
</table>
<?php
// nothing selected so display all the dvds
}else {
	$query = ("select * from dvd");
	$result = mysql_query($query,$db);
	if(mysql_num_rows($result) > 1){
		while($myrow = mysql_fetch_array($result));
			printf("<a href=\"%s?id=%s\">Title: %s<br /> Price: %s<br /> No_In_Stock %s<br /><br /></a><br>\n", $PHP_SELF, $myrow["dvdid"], $myrow["title"], $myrow["price"], $myrow["stock"]);
		}
	}else{
	// no records to display
		echo "Sorry, no records were found!";
	}
}

// if the individual dvd is added to shopping cart through the Add button
if($_POST['add']){
	$id = $_POST['id']; 
// generate a query to get details of DVD from db,
	$query = "SELECT * FROM dvd WHERE dvdid = ".$id;
	$result = mysql_query($query);
	if(mysql_num_rows($result)==1){
		$row = mysql_fetch_array($result);
		$price = $row['price'];
		$title = $row['title'];
	}
	if(isSet($_COOKIE['shopping_cart'])){
// cookie already exists, append to it, use the id of the dvd as the array key. 		
		$shopping_cart = $_COOKIE['shopping_cart']);
		$shopping_cart[$id] = array("Title"=>$title, "TPrice"=>$price, "Tax"=>"2", "Del"=>"2"););
	}else{
// no cookie , create a new array and add dvdid and price	
		$shopping_cart = array();
		$shopping_cart[$id] = array("Title"=>$title, "TPrice"=>$price, "Tax"=>"2", "Del"=>"2");		
	}		
// set the cookie with new values	
	setcookie("shopping_cart",$shopping_cart); 

// if the individual dvd is removed from the shopping cart through the Clear button	
	}elseif($_POST['clear']){
  	if(isSet($_COOKIE['shopping_cart'])){
  // cookie already exists, delete from it 		
  		$shopping_cart = $_COOKIE['shopping_cart']);
  		unset($shopping_cart[$id]);
  // set the cookie with new values	
  	setcookie("shopping_cart",$shopping_cart); 		
  	}
	}

// run through the shopping_cart array
	foreach($shopping_cart as $key=>$value){
		if($value!=""){
			print_r($value);
			// or do another foreach and format your display
		}
	}

?>

</body>

</html>

reg
kevin

searain

If I understand your quesion correct, I will use serialize to serialize a multi-dimensional array and passed the serialized value in the session or cookie. and then when I need to to use the multi-dimensional array in other pages, i will just get the serialized value and unserialize it back to the multi-dimensional array.