[RESOLVED] POST'ing with multilevel arrays

jkurrle

I am trying to send data, via POST, to a second PHP script. The script processes the data, then returns a stream of JSON text. When I send data via file_get_contents(), I get the first level array of details passed ok, but the second level of array data does not pass.

More info: I have created a small form that must update itself via POST to an external API file. The problem exists in the html checkboxes, as a checkbox is passed as an array (userGroup).

To make this process work, I must POST the results back to the form page, then read the POST'ed results and send it via POST through file_get_contents.

Sample code is below. userGroup is the multidimensional array:

if($_POST['update']=="Update")
  {
  $API_URL=urldecode($API_URL);

  $post_data_keyed_array=array();
  foreach($_POST as $key=>$value)
    {
    $$key=$value;
    if($key!='update' || $key!='userGroup') $post_data_keyed_array[$key]=$value;
    }

  foreach($userGroup as $key=>$value)
    {
    $push='userGroup['.$key.']='.$value;
    array_push($post_data_keyed_array,$push);
    }

$opts = array(
  'http' => array(
    'method'  => 'POST',
    'header'  => 'Content-type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
    'content' => http_build_query($post_data_keyed_array),
    'ignore_errors' => true
    )
  );

   //stream encode the data
    $context  = stream_context_create($opts);

//run the data via GET or POST through the data and get the results
$result = file_get_contents("$API_URL", false, $context);  

echo $result;
  }

Can someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong or give an example of how it might be better implemented? I'm not sure if I'm allowed to use cURL or not, which is why I'm using file_get_contents.

Krik

I can't quite understand what you are trying with the second foreach loop. Are you trying to place the $userGroup array into the $post_data_keyed_array array or are you trying to add its contents to that array.

To just add its content to the array you would do this

  foreach($userGroup as $key=>$value)
    {
    array_push($post_data_keyed_array,$value);
    }

or if you want to add $userGroup as a multidimensional array to the $post_data_keyed_array you would do this, and without the foreach

    array_push($post_data_keyed_array,$userGroup);

On a side note

$post_data_keyed_array[] = $value;

has been noted to run faster than

array_push($post_data_keyed_array,$value);

and I personally think it is easier to comprehend.

jkurrle

I am having a headache getting the userGroup array to properly pass through the POST. I'll try your suggestions and let you all know what works for me.

Currently, I'm doing a regular form POST and having the API server "kicking" back to the refering URL with a javascript "self.location" call. Crude, but effective in a pinch. Hopefully, this will fix my POST'ing issues...

jkurrle

Ok, tried it and it's still not passing the multilevel array correctly. Here is the current code:

if($_POST['update']=="Update")
  {
  $API_URL=urldecode($API_URL);

  $post_data_keyed_array=array();
  foreach($_POST as $key=>$value)
    {
    $$key=$value;
    if($key!='update' || $key!='userGroup') $post_data_keyed_array[$key]=$value;
    }
  $post_data_keyed_array[]=$userGroup;  

  $opts = array(
    'http' => array(
      'method'  => 'POST',
      'header'  => 'Content-type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
      'content' => http_build_query($post_data_keyed_array),
      'ignore_errors' => true
      )
    );

  //stream encode the data
  $context  = stream_context_create($opts);

  //run the data via GET or POST through the data and get the results
  $result = file_get_contents("$API_URL", false, $context);  

  //display the results
  echo $result;
  }

The normal values are passing just fine, but for some reason the userGroups does not. When I use a regular form POST mechanism the data is accepted by the server API just fine (except I have to use a javascript "kick back").

The input from the regular form looks something like this:

<input type="checkbox" name="userGroup[group_2]" value="1" checked>group_2

What am I missing here???

jkurrle

The POST Process seems to work, but it's mangling some of the keys. It is putting amp; in front of the key name, which is messing up the processing. Anyone have any idea how to fix this?

jkurrle

Had to clean up the input after it ran through http_build_query(). Also, had to treat the 2nd level array elements individually, to get them to pass correctly. Complete working code below:

if($_POST['update']=="Update")
  {
  $API_URL=urldecode($API_URL);

  $post_data_keyed_array=array();
  foreach($_POST as $key=>$value)
    {
    $$key=$value;
    if($key!='update' && $key!='userGroup') $post_data_keyed_array[$key]=$value;
    }
  foreach ($userGroup as $key=>$value) $post_data_keyed_array["userGroup[$key]"]=$value;

  $opts = array(
    'http' => array(
      'method'  => 'POST',
      'header'  => 'Content-type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded',
      'content' => urldecode(str_replace('&amp;','&',http_build_query($post_data_keyed_array))),
      'ignore_errors' => true
      )
    );

  //stream encode the data
  $context  = stream_context_create($opts);

  //run the data via GET or POST through the data and get the results
  $result = file_get_contents("$API_URL", false, $context);  

} // end if($_POST['update']=="Update")