[RESOLVED] Trying to display an array

[mrw2020]

Hi Everyone

I hope someone can help me, I'm trying to display database results in an array, but I keep getting the following error message:

'Cannot use string offset as an array'

I'm using WAMP version2 as a testing server on my windows computer (using Vista Business OS)

Here is the php code:

require_once ('../mysql_connect.php'); // Connect to the db.

// Make the query:
$q = "SELECT ret_name,ret_add1,ret_add2,ret_town,ret_county,ret_pcode,ret_phone,ret_email,ret_web FROM retailers ORDER BY ret_name ASC";        

$result = mysql_query ($q); // Run the query.Define the $result variable and display or send error message

  while ($rows = mysql_fetch_array($result)) {
      $records[] = array(1 => $rows['ret_name'],
			2 => $rows['ret_add1'],
			3 => $rows['ret_add2'],
                        4 => $rows['ret_town'],
                        5 => $rows['ret_county'],
                        6 => $rows['ret_pcode'],
                        7 => $rows['ret_phone'],
                        8 => $rows['ret_email'],
                        9 => $rows['ret_web']
                        );
  }

$total = count($records);
  $nocol = 3;
  $norows = $total / $nocol;
for ($i=1; $i <= $norows; $i++) {
    $cell = 0;
    echo "<tr>";
    for($col=1; $col <= $nocol; $col++) {
       echo "<td>";
       if ($col == 1) {
       $cell += $i;
       echo $records[$cell - 1][1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9];
       } else {
        $cell += $norows;
        echo $records[$cell - 1][1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9];

   }
   echo"<td>";
}
  echo"</tr>";
}


[code=php]

I haven't included the html table or coding in this post as that seems to be working fine, it's just the php code that seems to be wrong, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[johanafm]

use [ php] ... [ /php] tags for php code and similar with code and html tags for other things.

After you've created $records, do this to see what it contains

echo '<pre>'.print_r($records,1).'</pre>';

There is a difference between these

$a1 = array(1 => '', 2 => '', 3 => '');
$a2 = array(1 => array(2 => array (3 => array())));

I don't understand why you'd rather have $array[7] than $array['ret_phone']. The latter array key makes it obvious what it contains (assuming you don't just assign identifiers at random) while the former tells you nothing when looking at it. And while correct, you could simplify your code

$records = array();
# use fetch_row if you only want a numerically indexed array
# But apparently I'd recommend using fetch_assoc
while ($rows = mysql_fetch_row($result)) {
	$records[] = $rows;
}

Just note that fetch_row means your indices start at 0, not 1. But I suggest you go with that since that's the "natural order" of things.

[ixalmida]

First, why are you spelling out the array elements?

This would work nearly the same way:

while ($rows = mysql_fetch_array($result))
  $records[] = $rows;

Second, you don't have a 10-dimensional array (as you are trying to use it). It is an array of arrays with 10 elements.

// This 10-dimensional array isn't valid...
echo $records[$cell - 1][1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9];

// This usage, however, is valid (using your previous code)...
echo $records[$cell - 1][1];  // This is 'ret_add1'
echo $records[$cell - 1][2];  // This is 'ret_add2'
// etc...

// If you take my first advice above, you will want to refer to elements associatively instead...
echo $records[$cell -1]['ret_add1'];
echo $records[$cell -1]['ret_add2'];
// etc...

[mrw2020]

ixalmida;10964261 wrote:

First, why are you spelling out the array elements?

This would work nearly the same way:

while ($rows = mysql_fetch_array($result))
  $records[] = $rows;

Second, you don't have a 10-dimensional array (as you are trying to use it). It is an array of arrays with 10 elements.

// This 10-dimensional array isn't valid...
echo $records[$cell - 1][1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9];

// This usage, however, is valid (using your previous code)...
echo $records[$cell - 1][1];  // This is 'ret_add1'
echo $records[$cell - 1][2];  // This is 'ret_add2'
// etc...

// If you take my first advice above, you will want to refer to elements associatively instead...
echo $records[$cell -1]['ret_add1'];
echo $records[$cell -1]['ret_add2'];
// etc...

Thank you for your quick response, I agree that I've made it over complicated what I'm trying to do is create a 3 column table with a retailers details in each cell ie name address and so on, will your suggestion achieve this? I think I've just got terribly confused with arrays. I also realise that I didn't comment out the code correctly so I apologies about that.

[mrw2020]

johanafm;10964259 wrote:

use [ php] ... [ /php] tags for php code and similar with code and html tags for other things.

After you've created $records, do this to see what it contains

echo '<pre>'.print_r($records,1).'</pre>';

There is a difference between these

$a1 = array(1 => '', 2 => '', 3 => '');
$a2 = array(1 => array(2 => array (3 => array())));

I don't understand why you'd rather have $array[7] than $array['ret_phone']. The latter array key makes it obvious what it contains (assuming you don't just assign identifiers at random) while the former tells you nothing when looking at it. And while correct, you could simplify your code

$records = array();
# use fetch_row if you only want a numerically indexed array
# But apparently I'd recommend using fetch_assoc
while ($rows = mysql_fetch_row($result)) {
	$records[] = $rows;
}

Just note that fetch_row means your indices start at 0, not 1. But I suggest you go with that since that's the "natural order" of things.

Thank you very much for your quick response, I apologise for not commenting out the code correctly. I used your code to see what was being generated and it did display the correct results apart from it duplicating the first record twice. What I'm trying to do is display a multi column table with each retailers information in each cell - and I've got thoroughly confused with it! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[mrw2020]

ixalmida;10964261 wrote:

First, why are you spelling out the array elements?

This would work nearly the same way:

while ($rows = mysql_fetch_array($result))
  $records[] = $rows;

Second, you don't have a 10-dimensional array (as you are trying to use it). It is an array of arrays with 10 elements.

// This 10-dimensional array isn't valid...
echo $records[$cell - 1][1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9];

// This usage, however, is valid (using your previous code)...
echo $records[$cell - 1][1];  // This is 'ret_add1'
echo $records[$cell - 1][2];  // This is 'ret_add2'
// etc...

// If you take my first advice above, you will want to refer to elements associatively instead...
echo $records[$cell -1]['ret_add1'];
echo $records[$cell -1]['ret_add2'];
// etc...

Thank you very much for your help, I have now got the code to work! I used your suggestion, I now have to tidy it up a bit - I know I've made it more complicated than it needs to be but it's all in the learning curve - thank you very much again here is the code:

for ($i=1; $i <= $norows; $i++) {
    $cell = 0;
    echo "<tr>";
    for($col=1; $col <= $nocol; $col++) {
       echo "<td>";
       if ($col == 1) {
       $cell += $i;
       echo '<strong>'.$records[$cell - 1][1].'</strong><br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][2].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][3].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][4].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][5].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][6].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][7].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][8].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][9].'<br />';
       } else {
        $cell += $norows;
	   echo '<strong>'.$records[$cell - 1][1].'</strong><br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][2].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][3].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][4].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][5].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][6].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][7].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][8].'<br />';
	   echo $records[$cell - 1][9].'<br />';

   }
   echo"<td>";
}
  echo"</tr>";
}

[ixalmida]

Great!

Let me just add a couple of reminders:
1) Don't forget to mark your thread as 'Resolved' if your question has been answered (Thread Tools menu a the top of the page)
2) You will usually get a faster, more positive response if you align your curly braces (see indent styles). KNF style may be popular in the Javascript world, but most people find it difficult to read. Allman style seems to be most common here, but I personally favor Whitesmiths for these reasons. There isn't a consensus really, except that you should align your braces.