[SOLVED] Create Loop and Split string into x variables

[grunshaw]

Hi Guys,

 

Here is the scope. I am writing a mobility system for the visually impaired that will store information about how to get from one place to another in several steps. The number of steps changes depending on where the route goes. I've stored these into a database. The 2 columns we are interested in are "steps" which contains the number of steps in the route, and "description" which is the textual description of the steps to take, where a step is defined as a section of the route. In the description field, the data is stored seperated by a comma. For example,

 

Step 1 - Go here, then turn left, Step 2 - Then go straight, Step 3 - Your now there.

 

Since we know the number of steps is 3, the steps column in the databsse will contain 3. What we do not know is the number of commas and where to split.

 

What I want to do is to be able to split at the commas and store these in variables so I can format them into an ordered list.

 

Is there a way to loop through this and split at the commas and also the dashes without messing up the order of everything and then being able to make everything into bullet points even if there are 20 steps or 100 steps?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

James Grunshaw.

[wildteen88]

You should seperate your steps with a different character, such as |*| Your steps will be like so

 

tep 1 - Go here, then turn left|*|Step 2 - Then go straight|*|Step 3 - Your now there

 

This allow you to split your steps in to an array easily

$steps = explode('|*|', $row['steps']);

echo 'Steps to take: <ul>';

foreach($steps as $step)
{
    echo '<li>' . $step . '</li>';
}

echo '</ul>';

[grunshaw]

Excellant, thats working a bit better for what I wanted. I just have one more thing.

 

Is it possible to split at the comma aswell so in affect you would have say a nested list?

 

Step 1

      Go here

      Then here

Step 2

    Then do this

    Then that

Step 3

    Finish

 

Thanks again.

 

PS > I'm Visually Impaired, having a very difficult time with these CAPATCHAS - are they really neccesary on an already authenticated and registered system?

[wildteen88]

Excellant, thats working a bit better for what I wanted. I just have one more thing.

 

Is it possible to split at the comma aswell so in affect you would have say a nested list?

 

<?php

$row['steps'] = 'Step 1 - Go here, then turn left|*|Step 2 - Then go straight, turn right at next road|*|Step 3 - Your now there';

$route_steps = explode('|*|', $row['steps']);

echo "Steps to take:
<ul>\n";

foreach($route_steps as $steps)
{
    list($step_num, $steps) = explode(' - ', $steps);

    $sub_steps = explode(', ', $steps);

    echo '  <li>' . $step_num . '
    <ul>
      <li>' . implode("</li>\n      <li>", $sub_steps) . '</li>
    </ul>
  </li>'."\n";
}

echo '</ul>';

?>

 

PS > I'm Visually Impaired, having a very difficult time with these CAPATCHAS - are they really neccesary on an already authenticated and registered system?

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[grunshaw]

That is Awesome! It worked perfectly! Thanks so much.