[RESOLVED] Issue with multi array definition

[davidjames52]

Hi all,

I am trying to set a value in a multidimensional array, but every time I do, it over rides the whole array and only puts that value in it. Here is my code.

${'playerarray'.$newround}[0][$newkey] = "$winnername";

Should I be using array puh or some thing else. I thought I could just specify the array element and assign it a value, or am I way off track.

Thanks heaps for your help.

[Abarak]

Hello David,

When playing around with the array, everything looks to function as normal. Make sure your variables are all defined and what not. This is what I did...

$playerarray1 = array();
$newround = 1;
$winnername = "Abarak";

for($newkey=0; $newkey<5; $newkey++)
	${'playerarray'.$newround}[0][$newkey] = $winnername.$newkey;

print_r($playerarray1);

this is the output....

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => Abarak0
            [1] => Abarak1
            [2] => Abarak2
            [3] => Abarak3
            [4] => Abarak4
        )

)

[NogDog]

Also, if you just want to append to an array, you can simply use an empty pair of brackets:

$myArray[$index][] = $someValue;

[davidjames52]

Thank you for your replys but my issues continue. What I am doing is pulling an array from my database and trying to add to it. All the elements in the array need to be in specific order and get added one at a time by different users. So my array on the database might be.

Array ( [1] => Array ( [1] => john ) )

Then when the php page adds to the array with the above lines of code I need it to look like this. Say I append david to the array.

Array ( [1] => Array ([0] => david [1] => john ) )

But for some reason when I specify the element like above it appends to the array but wipes all the other elements in the array. Therefore ending like this.

Array ( [1] => Array ([0] => david) )

Is there any way to get around this, I know that all my variables are passing correctly as I echo'ed them out to make sure. I need david to appened to the array in that exact place. So I can't push into the array as other elements go into different places. Can I use array_pad or something. Enough ramblings and thanks heaps for your help.

[NogDog]

I don't think we're going to be able to solve this without seeing more of the actual code being used. You might want to try some debugging by putting in print_r() or var_dump() commands to inspect the array and any other variables at strategic points in the code, such as when variables/arrays of interest are first populated and when they are changed or appended to. This may help show exactly where things are going wrong for you.

[davidjames52]

$playerarray1 = unserialize($rec['player1']);// pulls array from database//

Should i be saving the array in the DB differently then serializing it ???

Then my code to assigns to variables and insert ito array. Then reinsert back into database

if(in_array($winnername,${'playerarray'.$round}[0])){
$winnerkey=array_search($winnername,${'playerarray'.$round}[0]);
$opponent=${'playerarray'.$round}[1][$winnerkey];
$newkey = floor($winnerkey/2);
if($winnerkey%2 == 1)//sets number to assign which array to insert into to//
{
    $gg=1;
}
else
{
    $gg=0;
}
${'playerarray'.$newround}[$gg][$newkey] = "$winnername";
$newarrayset = serialize(${'playerarray'.$newround});//insert back into DB//
$newarraynumber = "player".$newround;
$arrayupdate = mysql_query("UPDATE tournaments SET $newarraynumber='$newarrayset' WHERE event = '$eventnumber'");
}

(Added PHP tags around code samples. -- MOD)

[NogDog]

First thing I would do is validate the result of this line:

$winnerkey=array_search($winnername,${'playerarray'.$round}[0]);

It might be returning false rather than a key, in which case you would be using a value of 0 (zero) in later non-boolean references to it.

For some quick debugging to see if this is an issue:

$winnerkey=array_search($winnername,${'playerarray'.$round}[0]);
if($winnerkey === FALSE)   // be sure to use "==="
{
   user_error('$winnerkey is FALSE');
}

[davidjames52]

Hi Nogdog.

I tried the validation of that statement and if comes through ok. What I am finding is if I add 2 elements to the array when the php page processes. It adds those 2 elements ok and saves to the database ok. But if I reload the page and then add 2 different elements it wipes the array and just adds the new elements. It is not adding to the exising array for some reason that is being pulled off the database with this line.

<?
$playerarray2 = unserialize($rec['player2']);
?>

I can create a new array with all the values that I need ok but try to add to it and save it to the database and wammo problems arise.

Do I need to for a foreach and then push the values back into the new array along with the new value or something.???

[NogDog]

What type of database column are you storing the serialized array in? Are you sure it's big enough?

[davidjames52]

I have a serialized array with 64 entries in it in another column and that stores ok and print to screen ok when pulled from the database. Can u append to a unserialized array. If just a normal array works perfectly fine but with unserialized array from the database seems not to work.

Is there any other way to save an array to a database then retrieve?

Say covert it to a string or something then convert it back???

[davidjames52]

After all this the only thing I did not check is if the array was being unserialized properly. When I pull the array string from the database and echo out $rec['player2'] I get this.

a:1:{i:1;a:1:{i:12;s:5:"amik2";}}

Which from my understanding this is correct for a unserialized array. But the unserialize command is not working correctly for some reason, its not doing anything, when I print_r $playerarray2 I get no output. Could some one please tell me if this statement is right to unserialize this array string back into an array.

<?
$playerarray2 = unserialize($rec['player2']);
?>

As this seems to be where the problem arises. If I get this fixed then I will be able to append to the array.

Thanks heaps for your time on this issue.

[davidjames52]

I would like to apologise to all, I found the issue I had double set a variable later on and the second setting set the array to empty. Once again ty for all your help and so sorry. I should have looked at it to begin with.

Good luck in all your coding.