trouble writing php function INTO txt file

[logon_info]

for ($i=0; $i<count($_POST['block']); $i++)
{
     $sql = "INSERT INTO PLD_CLIENT_CATEGORIES (ID, CAT_ID) VALUES ('".$_SESSION['link_id']."', '".$_POST['block'][$i]."')";
     mysql_query($sql) or die (mysql_error());
       //add more data ot the existing file
 $_POST['block'][$i]=$r
    append_file("customers/test1.txt","<item>\n<title>Title in here</title>/n<link>othersites.php?c=\"$r\"</link>/n</item>");

}

Hello, I'm having serious difficulties with the above bit of code not being parsed, and I have searched high and low for a solution. I have three problems, in order of urgency as follows:

1 - I need to add the category id for each iteration into the text file. At present I am using $_POST['block'][$i]=$r then calling $r, but this isn't working - is there any way to return the value of this iteration and insert that value into the text file?

2 - I could also do with calling the category name from the database, but once I have figured out #1, Im pretty sure I can code this myself!

3 - I am also trying to create the text file with a title based on a value in the session array - $_SESSION['link_id'] instead of test1.txt - how would I crowbar that result into this bit of code?

  //create file
  write_file("customers/test1.txt","<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" ?>\n <rss version=\"2.0\">\n <channel>\n");

The purpose of this is to create an xml feed file based on user selections from a form. The xml feed will then create a series of links to further feeds - the customers selections will determine which feeds will show on their site.

Any and all help very very much appreciated!

[halojoy]

thre is

a special bb-code tag in this forum
for php-code

(start tag)
php

----- your php code ----

/php
(endtag)

you find clickable icon for this tag in 'edit / post reply' editor menu

Second symbol from right: 'php' - light blue

in action:

<?php

for ($i=0; $i<count($_POST['block']); $i++)
{
     $sql = "INSERT INTO PLD_CLIENT_CATEGORIES (ID, CAT_ID) VALUES ('".$_SESSION['link_id']."', '".$_POST['block'][$i]."')";
     mysql_query($sql) or die (mysql_error());
       //add more data ot the existing file
 $_POST['block'][$i]=$r
    append_file("customers/test1.txt","<item>\n<title>Title in here</title>/n<link>othersites.php?c=\"$r\"</link>/n</item>");

}


  //create file
  write_file("customers/test1.txt","<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" ?>\n <rss version=\"2.0\">\n <channel>\n");

?>

It is NOT ONLY because make easier to understand php scripts.

But sometimes we can directly see where is anything bad
because is 'wrong color' in highlighted php code.

so it might help in debug and fault-finding!

🙂

[logon_info]

Thanks! All part of the learning curve. So, the code has no obvious syntax faults, yet it doesn't work. Any ideas?

[logon_info]

{
     $sql = "INSERT INTO PLD_CLIENT_CATEGORIES (ID, CAT_ID) VALUES ('".$_SESSION['link_id']."', '".$_POST['block'][$i]."')";
     mysql_query($sql) or die (mysql_error());
       //add more data to the existing file
       $newdata =  "<item>\n<title>duh</title>\n<link>othersites.php?c=".$_POST['block'][$i]."</link>\n</item>\n";
    append_file($filename,$newdata);

}

By processing the php function first and getting a value using the $newdata block, I am able to make this work. Now just to get the category title figured, then try to work out how to dynamically create the name for the txt file based on the value of $_SESSION['link_id']....

Still, progress is better than none at all! :queasy:

[madwormer2]

If all you are doing is going through the array $_POST['block'] why not use a foreach ? It makes it ten times easier.

Also, if this is all in the same script, I find it unneccessary to write to the file more than once, instead of appending to the file, append all values to a variable till the end of the script, and then write it all as one.

<?php
$filedata = '<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\" ?>\n <rss version=\"2.0\">\n <channel>\n';
foreach($_POST['block'] as $var)
{
$sql = "INSERT INTO PLD_CLIENT_CATEGORIES (ID, CAT_ID) VALUES ('".$_SESSION['link_id']."', '".$var."');";
mysql_query($sql) or die (mysql_error());
$r = $var;
$filedata .= '<item>\n<title>Title in here</title>/n<link>othersites.php?c="'.$r.'"</link>/n</item>';
}
//create file
write_file("customers/test1.txt",$filedata);
?>

Something like that? What data and stuff are you getting from the previous form?

[logon_info]

Hi madwormer - thanks for the reply. I am writing to the file 3 times in all - once for the header contents of the file to set it up as a valid xml feed, then the foreach statement to add in the feed info for each item selected, and finally a footer section to close the feed. Something like this:

**the header section*
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
the foreach section would generate something like below
<item>
<title>Candle Crafts</title>
<link>othersites.php?links=candles</link>
</item>
<item>
<title>Glass Crafts</title>
<link>othersites.php?links=glass</link>
</item>
<item>
footer below**
</channel>
</rss>

Hope that makes some kind of sense.
The other info I am trying to get would be the category title taken from table PLD_CATEGORY (field id - TITLE) where the ID is the same as the $r function detailed in your last snippet. I have kind of got it using the code below, except it returns a resource id instead of the actual value. Having a brain freeze and cant get the actual info back!

 [code=php]$cat_name = mysql_query( "SELECT TITLE FROM PLD_CATEGORY WHERE ID = (".$_POST['block'][$i].")" );
   //add more data to the existing file
   $newdata =  "<item>\n<title>$cat_name</title>\n<link>othersites.php?c=".$_POST['block'][$i]."</link>\n</item>\n";[/code]

I know i need to do something with $cat_name first to get the actual info out of it, but cant get my head working!!

[logon_info]

ok, got that bit working ok - just added in an extra handler like follows:

    $cat_name = mysql_query( "SELECT TITLE FROM PLD_CATEGORY WHERE ID = (".$_POST['block'][$i].")" );
     $cat_temp = mysql_fetch_row($cat_name);
     $cat_name_result = $cat_temp[0];

then returning $cat_name_result in my $newdata

OK, last challenge - how can I configure the .txt file to be created using data from the session? Basically, each visitor will make a unique text file for their own use, and I need to be able to call the file a unique id - i.e. for my test purposes, my $_SESSION['link_id'] when logged in would be 259, so I would ideally create a file called 259.txt - how would I go about this?

P.S. madwormer, I am using your suggestion for the foreach, but I was stuck playing with my version - i haven't ignored your advice, it is very much appreciated!! 😉

[logon_info]

<is it rude to keep answering yourself??>

OK, got the unique filename sorted and my code is ready to roll. Thanks for your help everybody. For anybody stumbling on this post in the future who has a similar problem, the txt file name is created using this snippet of code:

$r = $_SESSION['link_id'];
  $filename = "customers/$r.txt";

Dead simple!

</end of conversation with myself>

[madwormer2]

write_file("customers/". $_SESSION['link_id'] .".txt",$newdata);