[SOLVED] Adding Suffix to Variable in a Loop

[millsy007]

I am writing a piece of code to insert names, part of the program needs to check for a duplicate name, upon there being a duplicate name I want to add a numerical suffix, and then increment this each time another duplicate is found/ or if a duplicate value has already been assigned.

 

So far I have:

 

$suffix = '0';
while ($check!= 'no duplicates')
{

$suffix ++;

$query = "
SELECT  passenger_name
FROM    passengers, journey
WHERE  	journey.shuttle_id = '$id'
AND		journey.id = passengers.journey_id
AND 	passengers.passenger_name = '$name'
";
$qry_result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());
$num_rows = mysql_num_rows($qry_result);
if ($num_rows > 0) {

while($row = mysql_fetch_array($qry_result)){
$name = $row[passenger_name];}

$name .= "$suffix";
}

else {
$check = 'no duplicates';
}
}

 

It works, but is setting the names as bob|bob1|bob12|bob123|bob1234|bob12345|bob123456|bob1234567 as opposed to just adding the one number suffix, how could I remedy this?

 

[asmith]

when the first time the query is being executed, what is the value of $name ? bob?

 

to have an example I assume it is.  your query will find 'bob' in the database. then it will make bob1 at the first attempt.

Now $name is 'bob1'. 

Your main while loop now is searching the database for bob1?  if it finds it, then the $name now will become "

'bob1' + 2 => 'bob12'

 

I didn't get what you are trying to do with duplicate names.

 

IF you wanna check to see if bob1 exists,  then record bob2,  then the only thing you need to do is removing $name .= "$suffix";  and put it when you want to insert the new query.

 

and change your query to this :

AND    passengers.passenger_name = '$name.$suffix'

[Mark Baker]

$nameArray = array('bob','melany','bob','sue','rita','sue','bob');

$newNameArray = array();
$wrkArray = array_count_values($nameArray);
foreach($wrkArray as $name => $count) {
$newNameArray[] = $name;
if ($count > 1) {
	for ($i = 2; $i <= $count; $i++) {
		$newNameArray[] = $name.$i;
	}
}
}

print_r($newNameArray);

[millsy007]

What I want to do is where a name already exists, create a new name to insert that is basically the name they have with a number at the end.

 

So at first it will find a bob, as bob exists I want to Create bob1

if bob1 exists then I would try bob2 and so on...

 

I basically want to create a unique name that I can then use for the next part of my program

[asmith]

ok, you can use this :

 

<?php

// this query gets ALL records in passenger_name that they start with $name (bob for example)
   $query = "
   SELECT  passenger_name
   FROM    passengers, journey
   WHERE     journey.shuttle_id = '$id'
   AND      journey.id = passengers.journey_id
   AND    passengers.passenger_name LIKE '$name%'
   ";

$qry_result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());
   $num_rows = mysql_num_rows($qry_result);
   if ($num_rows > 0) {   // if it exists, then put all similar names into an array

   while($row = mysql_fetch_array($qry_result)){  
   $similar_names[] = $row[passenger_name];}


// check in the similar names array  if your name exists, if so, adds 1 to suffix, then check again until you find your final suffix.
$suffix = 1;
while (in_array($name.$suffix, $similar_names))
       $suffix++;
}
else
{
//$name is already unique. no suffix needed then.
}

 

now your desired name will be $name.$suffix, so you can record it into your table.

[millsy007]

Thanks, but when I run this I just get the names input all without a suffix, eg bob | bob | bob ?

[asmith]

how you "get"  those ?

 

I can't edit my post.  Here's the new version :

 

<?php

// this query gets ALL records in passenger_name that they start with $name (bob for example)
   $query = "
   SELECT  passenger_name
   FROM    passengers, journey
   WHERE     journey.shuttle_id = '$id'
   AND      journey.id = passengers.journey_id
   AND    passengers.passenger_name LIKE '$name%'
   ";

$qry_result = mysql_query($query) or die(mysql_error());
   $num_rows = mysql_num_rows($qry_result);
   if ($num_rows > 0) {   // if it exists, then put all similar names into an array

   while($row = mysql_fetch_array($qry_result)){  
   $similar_names[] = $row[passenger_name];}


// check in the similar names array  if your name exists, if so, adds 1 to suffix, then check again until you find your final suffix.
$suffix = 1;
while (in_array($name.$suffix, $similar_names))
       $suffix++;

$final_name = $name.$suffix;
}
else
{
//$name is already unique. no suffix needed then.
$final_name = $name;
}

echo $final_name;

 

echo $final_name;  will print the target name.  use this, and tell me what does it print on the screen.

 

[millsy007]

Yeah thats perfect thanks