Troubles with an array?

[psikoscweek]

Alright, Im new to PHP and im trying to get an array to work the way I need it to do.

Basically I need it to keep track of what I choose with radio buttons. All that is working right, save for a few things.

If I use
$answernum[$num] = $val_temp[1];

where $num is the set of radio buttons, and $val_temp[1] is the choice. Everything works fine without a problem except, if the radio button has a value of 10 or more, the value stored in $num only stores the first character. so 10 only stores 1. I dont understand why.

Help?

[psikoscweek]

Oh yeah, I can verify the value of the $val_temp[1] and it is the correct value, like 10 or above, but when I check $answernum[$num] which just stored the value, it's only the first character.

[NogDog]

Sounds like you may be running into a confusion between an array and a string. The expression $var[1] has two different meanings, depending on whether $var is a string or an array. If an array, it means the array element with an index of 1; but if it is a string, then it refers to the 2nd character of that string. My guess is that $answernum is the string in this case. You may need to first initialize it as an array before assigning values to it:

$answernum = array();

[psikoscweek]

alright here is a bit more of the code that i have.

the $HTTP_POST_VARS is received from the radio button.

$val = $HTTP_POST_VARS["val"];
$val_temp = explode("|",$val);
$answers += $val_temp[0];
$answernum[$num] = $val_temp[1];

the value that is passed from the radio button looks like 0|4, where 0 indicates right or wrong and the 4 is the answer number. $val_temp[1] should be an array that was generated by the explode function.

If need be, I can PM you the code if you wanna comb through it.

[NogDog]

Just try doing what I suggested, initializing $answernum as an array before trying to set any of its elements.

[psikoscweek]

alright.

I tried that, I initialized the $answernum as an array. Now, what was being stored in the array isnt. The only thing being stored is the last entry. So if I try and call $answernum[1] when I have 5 questions its blank. But $answernum[5] has the $val_temp entry.

any suggestions?

Edit:

Alright I changed the code to:

$answernum = array($num => $val_temp[1]);

based on some information that I read. That gets the problem with the number showing wrong resolved. Now whenever it reads that its a 10, it displays a 10. Now though, It doesnt seem to be keeping the information in the array. Whenever I move to another question it resets the array like I stated above.

On question 2 and I put some code to view what answer was selected for question 1 it works without a problem. Now, when I move to question 3 it will display what I have entered for question two, but not question one. And its the same for all the next questions, the last question answered is stored but not the first few.

Its like its resetting the array on every question.

[NogDog]

Yes, using the array(...) expression will reset the contents of the entire array. You want to initialize it with that syntax, but all subsequent additions should either be done with the $arr[$key] = $value; syntax (or just $arr[] = $value; if you simply want to use the next available key) or else by using either the [man]array_push/man or [man]array_unshift/man function.

[psikoscweek]

Alright, if I change the code to:

$num = $HTTP_POST_VARS["questnum"];
$answers = $HTTP_POST_VARS["answers"];
$val = $HTTP_POST_VARS["val"];
$val_temp = explode("|",$val);
$answers += $val_temp[0];
if ($num == 0)
{$answernum = array($num => $val_temp[1]);}
else
{$answernum[] = $val_temp[1];}

I get an error message that says

"Fatal error: [] operator not supported for strings"

now, both $num, and $val_temp should be integers as far as I know. If need be is there a function that we can convert a string to integer?

If I change the code to:

{$answernum[$num] = $val_temp[1];}

to force it to go up one, it does the same problem as before, only grabbint the first character of the $val_temp and not both. Im baffled.

Thanks for all of your help so far.

[psikoscweek]

So yeah,

I really cannot figure this out...

I tried the Array_push command and it didnt put anything at the end of the array. If I try

$answernum[$num] = $val_temp[1];

It only puts the first character of the array $val_temp[1]. If I try

$answernum[] = $val_temp[1];

PHP gives me a fatal error.

I dont understand...

[psikoscweek]

I still cannot figure this out..

The code is as follows:

if ($num == 0)
{$answernum = array();}
else 
{$answernum[] += $val_temp[1];}

where $num is the current question number and $val_temp[1] is created with the following

$val_temp = explode("|",$val);

and is equal to the answer inputted.

If i try that code I get the following error:

Fatal error: [] operator not supported for strings

I dont see why its saying that.
Help?