Array driven menu - Make Sticky

s2e

I have an array that holds the values of US States. I have populated a drop down menu using the array (which works fine), and want to make the menu hold the selected value when the page is processed.

If the menu was not populated from an array I would do this...

<select name="state" id="state">
<option value="AL"
<?php if(isset($POST[state']) && $POST[state'] == 'AL'){ echo 'selected';}?> ALABAMA</option>
<option value="AK"
<?php if(isset($POST[state']) && $POST[state'] == 'AK'){ echo 'selected';}?> ARKANSAS</option>
etc...
</select>

So I have tried several variations like this...
<?php
$states = array ('AL'=>'ALABAMA', 'AK'=>'ARKANSAS', etc...);
?>
<select name="state" id="state">
<?php
foreach($states as $key => $value) {
echo "<option value=$key
\"<?php if(isset($POST[state']) && $POST[state'] == '$key'){ echo 'selected';}
?>\"

$value</option>";
}
?></select>

With this I get an "unexpected T_ENCAPSED_AND_WHITESPACE" error. I can see that the code doesn't seem right (trying to echo php code within php code). I have also used a similar script to make a drop down sticky when it is populated from MySQL and everything has worked fine.
Little help?
Thanks

subwayman

echo "<option value=$key
\"<?php if(isset($POST[state']) && $POST[state'] == '$key'){ echo 'selected';}
?>\"

$value</option>";

Firstly, the script tags (<?php...?>) are not necessary as you nare already in script.
Secondly, both the $_POST varables are missing the first '.
Thirdly, the html value should be in quotes.
Fourthly, the selected attribute needs to be separated by a space from the value.
fifth, $key is alreadty a string so you don't need to quote it in the conditional.
Actually , you donlt need to check if the post is set if all you need to do is check its value.

You should adopt a consistent approach to mixing html with php.

try:

echo "<option=\"$key\"";

if ($_POST['state'] == $key) {
echo ' selected';
}

echo ">$value</option>;

Here ALL the html is echo'ed out.

s2e

Thanks Subwayman for working through my very sloppy code. Had been tinkering so much and posted innaccurately(including the state abbreviation for Arkansas).

You are right on. Seems like I need to review some basics. Maybe demote myself to the Newbie forum. I do like to keep the if(isset($_POST['state'] piece of code in there so that when the page loads initially and no state is selected I will not get an undefined error.

Have it working nicely like this for anyone else interested.

<?php
$states = array (
'AL'=>'ALABAMA',
'AK'=>'ALASKA');
//etc..
?>
<select name="state" id="state">
<?php
foreach($states as $key => $value) {
echo "<option value=\"$key\"";
if(isset($POST['state']) && $POST['state'] == $key){
echo 'selected';
}
echo ">$value</option>";
}
?>
</select>