Help needed with an associative array

[fiasst]

Hi there, I'm having real trouble writing a script to print hidden form fields to my page from an array.

 

I've been trying to print <input type="hidden" name="[array_key]" value="[array_value]" /> for each item that has 'build_' included in the key.

 

I've ran out of time and talent and would really appreciate some help!

 

Here's an example of my array and below the outcome i'd like returned to the page:

 

Array(

[build_AGE] => 20

[foo] => dont use this as it doesn't have 'build_' in the key

[bUILD_OPTIONS] => Array(

[build_HOUR] => 06

[build_MIN] => 10

[build_DATE] => Array(

[month] => 6

[day] => 14

[year] => 2010

)

)

)

 

<input type="hidden" name="build_AGE" value="20" />

<input type="hidden" name="build_OPTIONS" value="Array" />//I don't actually need this but it seems too complicated to avoid, no harm in leaving it

<input type="hidden" name="build_DATE" value="6,14,2010" />

<input type="hidden" name="build_HOUR" value="06" />

<input type="hidden" name="build_MIN" value="10" />

 

 

Here's my attempt. As you can probably tell I was getting carried away and, I think, over complicating it:

 

if (is_array($form_values)){
foreach ($form_values as $k => $v){
	if (!empty($v) && preg_match('/^build/', $k)){
		if (is_array($v)){
			foreach ($v as $k2 => $v2){
				if (is_array($v2)){
					$v2 = implode(",", array_values($v2));
					print '<input type="hidden" name="'.$k.'" value="'.$v2.'" />';
				} else {
					print '<input type="hidden" name="'.$k.'" value="'.$v2.'" />';
				}					
			}
		} else {
			print '<input type="hidden" name="'.$k.'" value="'.$v.'" />';
		}
	}
}
}

 

Thanks, Marc

[Alex]

You should use a recursive function. Try something like this:

 

function hidden_fields_recursive($arr) {
foreach($arr as $key => $val) {
	if(is_array($val) && strtolower($key) == 'build_date') {
		echo "<input type='hidden' name='$key' value='" . implode(',', $val) . "' />";
	} else if(is_array($val)) {
		hidden_fields_recursive($val);
	} else {
		if(strtolower(substr($key, 0, 6)) == 'build_') {
			echo "<input type='hidden' name='$key' value='$val' />";
		}
	}
}
}

$arr = array(
'build_AGE' => 20,
'foo' => 15,
'BUILD_OPTIONS' => array(
	'build_HOUR' => 06,
	'build_MIN' => 10,
	'build_DATE' => array(
		'month' => 6,
		'day' => 14,
		'year' => 2010
	)
)
);
hidden_fields_recursive($arr);

[fiasst]

Hi Alex, thanks for replying.

 

This code is spot on appart from one array instance. I've stripped the code down temporarily for ease:

function hidden_fields_recursive($arr){
foreach($arr as $key => $val) {
	if (is_array($val)){
		hidden_fields_recursive($val);
	} else {
		if (substr($key, 0, 6) == 'build_') {
			echo 'name: '.$key.' | value: '.$val;
		}
	}
}
}

$arr = array(
    "build_age" => 20,
    "build_list" => array(
        11 => 11,
        7 => 7,
        8 => 8,
    ),
    "build_options" => array(
        "build_date" => array(
            "month" => 6,
            "day" => 14,
            "year" => 2010,
        ),
        "build_hour" => 10,
        "build_hour" => 17,
    ),
);

hidden_fields_recursive($arr);

Results in:

 

name: build_age | value: 20

name: 11 | value: 11

name: 7 | value: 7

name: 8 | value: 8

name: build_options | value: Array

name: build_date | value: Array//(can't always guarantee the name will be build_date)

name: month | value: 6

name: day | value: 14

name: year | value: 2010

...ect

 

but I'm hoping to return the build_list and build_date values as strings. ie:

 

name: build_list | value: 11,7,8

name: build_date | value: 6,14,2010

 

 

Hope that makes sense,

thanks again for any help

[Alex]

How are you supposed to know when an array should be imploded to form the value, or if it contains values that should be separate hidden inputs? You have to have some indication, there isn't a function to read minds.

[fiasst]

I've been trying to find a way of checking if build_date is an Array and if so, do any of the array_values contain another array. If it doesn't then implode the values.

 

"build_date" => array(
    "month" => 6,
    "day" => 14,
    "year" => 2010,
),

 

I just can't for the life of me code it, hehe. Been trying since sunday morning!

[Alex]

Make a simple function to check if any of the array values contain an array, like so:

 

function contains_array($arr) {
foreach($arr as $item) {
	if(is_array($item)) {
		return true;
	}
}
return false;
}

 

Then inside the loop in the other function I provided:

 

...
if(strtolower($key) == 'build_date' && is_array($val) && !contains_array($val)) {
    // ...
}
...

[fiasst]

That's the ticket! *massive sigh of relief*

 

Thank you so much for your help! I kept re-writing it and always ended up with about 5 foreach() statements before getting confused.

 

Really appreciate it :]

[Alex]

You're welcome.

 

By the way, there's a way to mark a topic solved at the bottom left of the page.