[Resolved] multiple search & replace

Rodders

I have a text file which has a few hundred lines of data, all in a similar format.

Essentially there is 5 fields of data, and they are separated by spaces. Unfortunately, some of the fields contain spaces so I am trying to work around how to extract, say, the 3rd field of data.

This 3rd field will always be one of about 24 known values. So I've created a database table which has the known values along with a new value - called 'ID' and has no spaces.

My intention is to run a str_replace() function and supply it with an array of all the strings to find, along with an array of all the strings to use in the replace, and of course an individual line from my file (perhaps I could do the whole file in one go !).

str_replace($find_array, $replace_array, $line_txt);

What I'd like to do is write a function that returns the arrays at the beginning of the script, and I can then use those arrays at the suitable moment in the script.

Can anyone advise on how I should create the arrays and return them from a function, currently I receive an error that says:

Fatal error: Cannot use [] for reading in /home/g/p/gpbdreamteam/public_html/dt_update.php on line 40

and line 40 reads

return $team_name_array[];

planetsim

You cannot send an array into a str_replace(); Id suggest using a for or foreach loop. To get it working.

Rodders

...........you can !

str_replace()

unless I'm misreading the example.

planetsim

Oh well learn something new every day 🙂 . What do the Arrays look like. In that example it shows each Array without an index

$vowels = array("a", "e", "i", "o", "u", "A", "E", "I", "O", "U");
$onlyconsonants = str_replace($vowels, "", "Hello World of PHP");

As you see no index. That maybe a reason why.

planetsim

My mistake with indexes that will still work.

Rodders

now I need some pointers on how to create the arrays.

My data is stored in a DB table. What's going to be the best way to build these arrays ?

I really don't want to be running about 24 separate str_replace() calls for each of the 500+ lines in the file, I'm sure it would have a performance issue.

Rodders

but I'm still struggling.

I set up a little test to try and work out how to use arrays within str_replace():

   $testa = array('Man Utd', 'Man City');
   $testb = array('MUD', 'MCY');

   $line = str_replace($testa, $testb, $line);

This had the desired effect, i.e. any occurrence of 'Man Utd' was replaced with 'MUD' and any occurrence of 'Man City' was replaced with 'MCY'.

So I've tried to create a function that builds a comma-delimted list of all the footy team names and another that builds a list of my associated IDs. These are taken from a DB table in matching order.

However, when I try and turn the lists into arrays, the whole list becomes one entry. So......

$team_name_array = array($team_name_arrayx);
print_r($team_name_array);

produces the following output

Array ( [0] => 'Arsenal', 'Aston Villa', 'Birmingham' .....etc)

Can anyone see why this would be ?

dnast

It's because your comma-delimited list is a string, so it just puts one instance of that string into an array.

Use

$team_name_array = explode("','",$team_name_arrayx);

Rodders

Thanks for that.

I was actually thinking that explode would be the solution whilst I was out at work this afternoon.

Your code needed a little tweaking (to accomodate some of my coding nuances) but it was a great help.

Rich

dnast

Glad you got it working.

I forgot to mention the idea that maybe you could change the function that creates the comma-delimited list into one that directly creates an array. I'm not sure if that's feasible since I haven't seen that code, but it's a thought.

Rodders

I did actually start out along the lines of using a function to create the array. But I'm not array's best friend, so I decided to go with a route that I knew I could manage.

The script isn't that important, it's just for a friend's fantasy football league portal, so I'll leave it how it is now that it works !!