count function

[meltingpoint]

the file (db_file.txt)contains four things:

monkey

apple

orange

pear

 

when I use    $XX = file("db_file.txt", "r");

and then print_r($XX);

it returns- Array([0]=>monkey[1]=>apple[2]=>orange[3]=>pear[4]=> )

using $size = count($XX);

it gives - 5

 

So why is it giving a 5th element to the file?

 

[Alex]

Because arrays start at indexing at 0, not 1.

 

Say you have:

 

$array = Array('number1', 'number2', 'number3');

 

$array[0] = number1

$array[1] = number2

$array[2] = number3

 

There's 3 elements, but the highest index is 2.

[meltingpoint]

Yes- but there are only 4 items being called in the file.  The element [4]=>  is empty.

Therefore the count should be 4 not 5. 

 

?

[MatthewJ]

Because there is an erroneous new line character after the last line... so it reads the blank line as well... that is why the 4th index is blank.

 

Put the cursor on the line below the last item and backspace it up so the cursor is behind the last piece of data and it should correct it.

[meltingpoint]

\n  - that explains the 5th element.  I tried the cursor thing and it did not correct it.

 

So I will have to figure out a way to trim the \n off the end in order to get a correct count.

 

Any suggestion?

 

[MatthewJ]

Leave it there and subtract one from the count?

[meltingpoint]

...............that sounds reasonable.  (And easy- LOL).

 

Thanks