array question

evulness

first off, i'm not exactly a novice at php, but i wouldn't say i'm intermediate...
i'm still learning 😉

but, i have an array question for anyone...

i have a form for user input
the user input will be formated as follows:

the users copy the real data formated like that from software, and paste it into my form, in a textbox for me to calculate, and display results...
it is pasted exactly like that into the text box on my page. no i can't ask them to paste it set by set, it has to be pasted exactly like that (or the users will keep complaining.)
how would i split each line, and turn each set into its own array, or rather turn the entire list (approx. 50 entries like that) into 1 huge array?
i really only need the title, and first non-decimal number from each set, the percentage number and description aren't needed.

i need to turn each set into something like

$skill = array('title1'=>'01', 'title2'=>'02');

once i get the data into the array, i can figure out my calculations and display formating....
i've done work with arrays, but nothing like this before.

any ideas?

NogDog

Are the angle brackets part of the text that the user inputs? If not, could you show some sample/dummy data that looks like what the actual input would be?

evulness

Evasion: 26 47% learning Perception: 5 45% thoughtful

is 1 line of typical input. first word can and will be 2 words.

like i said i just need to break each set into <title>: <#> and array it

id assume some sort of pregmatch? idk...

NogDog

If (and an important "if") the title is always a single word, something like this might work (untested):

preg_match_all('/\s(\S+):\s+(\d+)\s/', $text, $matches, PREG_SET_ORDER);
$skills = array();
foreach($matches as $match)
{
   $skills[$match[1]] = $match[2];
}

evulness

Let me retry this...

i tried what you suggested, but it wasn't working right.
it wasn't matching correctly, because some of the phrases i need to match are 2 words...

what i need to do is something VERY similar to the 4th example here:
http://us2.php.net/manual/en/function.preg-match.php

to quote...


Example #4 Using named subpattern
<?php

$str = 'foobar: 2008';

preg_match('/(?<name>\w+): (?<digit>\d+)/', $str, $matches);

print_r($matches);

?>

The above example will output:

Array
(
    [0] => foobar: 2008
    [name] => foobar
    [1] => foobar
    [digit] => 2008
    [2] => 2008
)

when i say similar, i mean almost identical, except not taking the defined var like that, but using the input from my <textarea> form.
which essentialy comes like this...

foo: 34 35.53% far foofoo: 45 89.56% closer
barfoo: 34 35.53% far barfoofoo: 45 89.56% closer
foobar: 34 35.53% far foobarfoo: 45 89.56% closer
barfoobar: 34 35.53% far foofoobar: 45 89.56% closer

and on, and on.
though there are approx 50 total entries like this, spaced like this, and will most likly be paste like this into the textarea box.

i almost want to match each entry by exact word, which i can, but thats too much code...

i had them entering each "skill" in its own textbox, but they complained, and wanted to be able to do it by just pasting the whole data, instead of typing in each set....

i've seen exactly what i want to do, in javascript, and someone has made one in php, but the person who created it is no longer contactable...

i am so unfamiliar with preg_match, as i haven't had to use it ever, untill now... i've just recently gotten more time to do some research, but any input would be helpful

NogDog

The 2 words thing is going to be a problem, unless there is some way to determine where a description ends and a title begins when on the same line. In other words, it the following example, how do I know whether or not the "ccc" is the second word of the first description or the first word of the second title?

aaa: 11 22.2% bbb ccc ddd: 33 44.4% ddd

PS: Maybe a compromise with the users would be to allow them to paste that text in, but then insert a line break between each record?

evulness

hmm only thing between sets are 10 spaces

aka heres a piece of the text that will be paste into my textarea

Primary Magic:     43 80% clear          Harness Ability:     46 33% clear        

Power Perceive:     43 92% clear          Magical Devices:     46 16% clear        

Targeted Magic:     33 85% clear                  Evasion:     43 01% clear        

Climbing:     36 52% clear               Perception:     30 16% clear        

Hiding:     34 37% clear              Lockpicking:      4 37% clear        

Disarm Traps:      2 05% clear                 Stalking:     30 93% clear

there will be 20+ lines like that.
does that make it easier

NogDog

See if this get's you closer:

'/(([a-z]+ )*[a-z]+): +(\d+)/i'

evulness

$text=$_POST['text'];
preg_match_all('/(([a-z]+ )*[a-z]+): +(\d+)/i', $text, $matches, PREG_SET_ORDER);
foreach($matches as $match)
    {
        echo $match['1'].': '.$match['3'].'<br />';
    }
    ?>

<form name="reqs" action="<?php $_SERVER[PHP_SELF]; ?>" method="POST">
<textarea name="text" rows="30" cols="10"></textarea>
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="submit" />
</form>

hey it works 🙂

the way you had it, $match['2'] returned the 2nd word, if there was one...
now $match['3'] returns the first integer like i need