[RESOLVED] arrays aren't friends of mine...

zzz

I generate an associate array via loop. I need to print it our into a file. Not oputput values, like in print_r, but actually print it as it would look in code. it'll be saved in an include file.

So I create something like

$myArray array("item1"=>"count1", "item2"=>"count2", "item3"=>"count3");

I've tried something like this:

// buffer for include file
echo '<?
$myArrayInclude = array('.implode(",", $myArray).');
?>';

but when I open include, all I have in it is:

// buffer for include file
<?
$myArrayInclude = array();
?>

Also, assuming that count1, count2 and count3 are numerical values, how do I find the highest number? Something to do with SORT isn't it?

😕

virtualdevl

Are you trying to write the array to the file or the array contents?

laserlight

You should post the smallest and simplest script that demonstrates your problem. At the moment your example has a syntax error.

EDIT:

Also, assuming that count1, count2 and count3 are numerical values, how do I find the highest number? Something to do with SORT isn't it?

No, [man]max/man. Even without max finding the maximum with a sort is unnecessarily expensive.

zzz

I'm writing it into a file.

zzz

No, max(). Even without max finding the maximum with a sort is unnecessarily expensive.

Lazerlight, I might be going deeper into the woods (as always). What I'm trying to do here is to take my array with values and build a bar chart...

I was thinking that if I could get the largest numerical value in my array, I would make it a 100% and determine the value of 1%. Then divide each other value in that array by percentage and build bars via a loop.

Please tell me there's a secret function in PHP that i have not stmbled upon yet, that can do most of it...

😉

virtualdevl

Why the foreach, why not just use myArray?

// buffer for file
echo '<?
$myStates = array('.implode(",", $myArray).');
?>';

zzz

not sure... I use foreach to add values to my array... is it what you mean?.. Sorry, array always give me hard time.

cahva

If you really want to write valid php file, then you have to write it as you normally write it. So add the quotes and => to the buffer also:

<?php
$myArray = array("item1"=>"count1", "item2"=>"count2", "item3"=>"count3");

$ars = array();
foreach ($myArray as $k=>$v) {
        $ars[] = '"'.$k.'" => "'.$v.'"';
}

echo '<?'."\n".'$myarrayInclude = array('.implode(',',$ars).');'."\n?>";

Personally I dont see the point doing that. Why not use the create the chart straight from database? 🙂

zzz

It's a large db and I can run a cron job nightly to create and save my array which will be used throughout a a day without calling db each time. I think its much faster too...

zzz

I must be doing something wrong... When I plug cahva's example everything is fine, an array is written to the file properly. However when i replace with my own array ($topStatesArray) What is saved into file is:

$myarrayInclude = array();

going crazy...

zzz

got it. Was using incomplete include with IN values.