[Resolved] How to create associative array in form w/ register globals is 'off'?

sherry

Hello.

(NOTE: this code is 'paraphrased'; register globals is 'off')

I have a form that I'm trying to create an associative array from with these 'input' statements (2 of several shown below):

<input type="checkbox" name=appln['retail'] value= "retail" <?php print $checkd1; ?>>Retail<br>
<input type="checkbox" name=appln['commercial'] value= "commercial" <?php print $checkd2; ?>>Commercial<br>

The form is using the var $form_action which is:
$form_action = "{$_SERVER['PHP_SELF']}";

if (isset($POST['submit'])) {$submit = $POST['submit'];}
(NOTE: this is used to avoid an 'undefined var' error)


Then, I looked to see what was stored in $appln array via:
if ($submit) {...
 foreach ($_POST['appln'] as $appln_key => $appln_value) 
  { 
   $appln_array['$appln_key'] = $appln_value;
   print "The appln array element key is $appln_key and value is $appln_value.<p>\n";
  }

The result was 'close', but not close enough for the following reasons:

The array's 'key' contained the 'single quotes' around it, e.g.:
the printout showed:

The appln array element key is \\'retail\\' and value is retail.

Q: why are the single quotes even there in the first place around the word 'retail' (likewise for the other elements)?

Also, in the html form shown above, there is an error:
Notice: Undefined index: retail
Notice: Undefined index: commercial


What's going on?

Thank you.

devinemke

I of course don't know the broader aspects of your app but from what you posted it would seem that you do not need to specify keys in your array at all. you have a bunch of checkboxes, which are of course simply booleans (ON or OFF). you really only need the array values to accomplish this. check it out:

<form action="<? echo $_SERVER['PHP_SELF'] ?>" method="POST">
<input type="checkbox" name="appln[]" value="retail"> retail<br>
<input type="checkbox" name="appln[]" value="commercial"> commercial<br>
<input type="checkbox" name="appln[]" value="residential"> residential<br>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="submit">
</form>

<?
if (isset($_POST['submit']))
{
	if (isset($_POST['appln']))
	{
		echo 'you checked the following ' . count($_POST['appln']) . ' checkbox(es):<br><br>';
		foreach ($_POST['appln'] as $value) {echo $value . '<br>';}
	}
	else {echo 'you did not check any checkboxes';}
}
?>

sherry

Thank you for your reply.

I was trying to establish an element where a particular value can be found no matter how many checkboxes an end-user checks vs e.g. sometimes it's in index 0 and another time with index 1. I have a few routines where it matters.

Grant it, I could use the index just to get the data out of the checkbox array and redefine/create an associative array to use in the different routines; I was just trying to avoid this. At the same time, I wanted to find out how to create an associative array via a 'form.'

devinemke

I wanted to find out how to create an associative array via a 'form.'

what exactly do you want the association to be between the key and the value? in your original example you are using the same string for the key and for the value (name=appln['retail'] value="retail"). is there ultimately going to be some other meaningful association between the key and the value?

BuzzLY

you can do this in one of two ways. The first, you practically answered yourself -- don't use the single quotes. Remember, HTML is not PHP, and although PHP requires you to use the quotes to differentiate between constants and strings, HTML does not. So, remove the quotes and you should be fine.

The other way is to do it the way devinemke told you, but before you iterate through the array, do a key/value swap with [man]array_flip[/man].

Either way should work.

sherry

Thanks again, for your reply.

It's basically for convenience -- I can refer to a particular element 'by name' e.g. appln['retail'], knowing that its value is correct and in the same location within the array every time.

sherry

Thanks for your reply.

Removing the single quote worked as far as creating the array I want.

Also, thank you for the PHP array_flip()'. I'd never heard of it. I see it's new since PHP v. 4.

BuzzLY

Thuper!

To get a head start, you might want to start looking at some of the changes for PHP5. There's some cool stuff in there!