multi dimension $_SESSION arrays?

[DCM]

Hi, i am having trouble retriving data from a 2D array in my php code an was wondering if i should be using a session array instead to keep track of the contents of the array between refreshes of the page.

 

I am currently working with an array in the form of :

$hosts[][]

// $hosts[$x][0] - the hostname
// $hosts[$x][1] - the ip address
// $hosts[$x][2] - the operating system

 

However, i seem to loose the ability to read data from this array when the user creates a refresh event (ie clicks a button/hyperlink).

 

Should i be storing the data in a $_SESSION array, if so what is the correct syntax to use, i have only ever stored single values in $_SESSION variables.

 

Thanks for reading.

[rwwd]

Just treat the $_SESSION array as you would a normal array, just remember to use session_start() at the beginning of each page using the values, as long as they are set, you can use them where you want as they are globals.

 

Rw

[DCM]

Thanks so would i reference the data as:

 

$_SESSION['hosts'][$x][0];

 

or

 

$_SESSION['hosts[$x][0]'];

 

 

[rwwd]

The former rather than the latter. Well that's the way I would try it! The latter version isn't a multidimensional array anyway, that's just dynamically altering the key name of the array: ergo: 1 dimensional.

 

Rw

[DCM]

I can now access data from within my session array as below

 

echo $_SESSION['hosts[5][1]'];

 

However i do not seem to be able to access the results when refernceing the array with a variable, for example:

 

$x=5;
echo $_SESSION['hosts[$x][1]'];

 

Is this a limitation or is there a way around it?

 

Thanks again for any advice

 

 

 

 

 

 

[trq]

Variables are not interpolated within single quotes.

 

Your also not creating a multi-dimensional array if that is indeed how you are accessing it.

[DCM]

The way I understood a php array to work as in java for example is as below:

 

$hosts[x][y];

// Where x tracks how many hosts are stored in the array and y stores any number of
// details about record x, i.e.

$hosts[0][0]  // = The hostname for the first item in the array
$hosts[0][1]  // = The ip addressfor the first item in the array
$hosts[0][2]  // = The operating system for the first item in the array

$hosts[1][0]  // = The hostname for the second item in the array
$hosts[1][1]  // = The ip addressfor the second item in the array
$hosts[1][2]  // = The operating system for the second item in the array

 

What i am trying to do is hold this data as a session array so upon a page reload the data in the array is not lost, as below:

 

$_SESSION['hosts[0][0]']  // = The hostname for the first item in the array
$_SESSION['hosts[0][1]']  // = The ip addressfor the first item in the array
$_SESSION['hosts[0][2]']  // = The operating system for the first item in the array

$_SESSION['hosts[1][0]']  // = The hostname for the second item in the array
$_SESSION['hosts[1][1]']  // = The ip addressfor the second item in the array
$_SESSION['hosts[1][2]']  // = The operating system for the second item in the array

 

When referencing this array I have no problem using intergers to reference and output the data, i.e.

 

$_SESSION['hosts[0][0]'] = "hosta";
echo $_SESSION['hosts[0][0]'] ;

// outputs hosta

 

However:

 

$_SESSION['hosts[0][0]'] = "hosta";
$x=0;
echo $_SESSION['hosts[$x][0]'] ;

// returns no output

 

So the above becomes an issue when trying to output results from the array using for loops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[trq]

This....

 

 

$_SESSION['hosts[0][0]'] = "hosta";

 

 

creates a single dimension array with the key of 'hosts[0][0]'

 

You woould access that via....

 

 

$x=0;echo $_SESSION["hosts[$x][0]"];

 

 

To create a multi-dimensional array (as you almost got right in your previous post) would be....

 

 

$_SESSION['hosts'][0][0] = "hosta";

 

 

Then to access it....

 

 

$x=0;echo $_SESSION['hosts'][$x][0];

 

[rwwd]

The latter version isn't a multidimensional array anyway, that's just dynamically altering the key name of the array: ergo: 1 dimensional.

 

 

I did tell you a couple of posts back, but thorpe has expressed it better...

 

Rw

[DCM]

Guys thanks a lots that works for me now, i know it must be frustrating whe us newbies ask such basic stuff!

 

I was getting hung up on how you define arrays in the likes of java, the php syntax just seems a bit weird but I understand it now.

 

One more question if i may, am i correct in assuming this syntax is only applicable for multi-dimensional arrays in $_SESSION arrays and that a standard multi-dimension array in php could still be defined as:

 

$myarray[0][0 ];

 

Thanks again for the advice it really has helped me out

 

 

[jcbones]

I think you are over analyzing this.

 

$_SESSION is an array .PERIOD(.)

 

It is treated just like any other array.

 

$myarray['hosts'][0][0] = 'hosta';
//is equal to:
$_SESSION['hosts'][0][0] = 'hosta';

 

The only difference is, the first array is only valid in the runtime, and the second is stored on the server to be accessed later.