First string in array doesn't show?

[3raser]

I'm trying to expand my knowledge on some more str type functions, and I've always wanted to learn implode and explode, but I was just too lazy.

 

Anyways, for some reason, if I type in: salad,pizza,apples - the first value in the array, salad, doesn't show up. o.O

 

<?php

$favorite_food = $_POST['favorite_food'];

if(!$favorite_food)
{
	?>

	<form action="words.php" method="POST">
	<input type="text" name="favorite_food">
	<input type="submit">
	</form>

	<?php
}
else
{
	$ex = explode(",", $favorite_food);
	$amount = count($ex) + 1;

	while($i < $amount)
	{
		echo $ex[$i]."<br/>";
		++$i;
	}
}

?>	

 

I know arrays start at 0, so thats why I added 1 to the count.

[spiderwell]

$i is undefined so first time around its not 0 but just nothing, soon as you add 1 it becomes 1, so you dont see the array[0] if that makes sense

[dcro2]

There's two problems here. First, $i doesn't have a value before it's used, so it's automatically false when you first use it. Since there's no $ex[false], nothing is outputted. That's why it's preferrable to use a for() loop for these kind of things. Setting error_reporting to E_ALL also helps to catch these kinds of things.

 

Then there's the problem that by adding 1 to the count you're making it echo one more value than actually exists. It makes sense if you really think about it. If you have an array with 3 members, count() will return 3, but your array will have values at [0]-[2]. If you check the source of the page in your browser, you'll see that there's an extra "<br />" at the end.

 

So here's my suggestion:

<?php

$favorite_food = $_POST['favorite_food'];

if(!$favorite_food)
{
	?>

	<form action="words.php" method="POST">
	<input type="text" name="favorite_food">
	<input type="submit">
	</form>

	<?php
}
else
{
	$ex = explode(",", $favorite_food);
	$amount = count($ex);
	  
	for($i = 0; $i < $amount; $i++)
	{
		echo $ex[$i]."<br/>";
	}
}

?>

[3raser]

There's two problems here. First, $i doesn't have a value before it's used, so it's automatically false when you first use it. Since there's no $ex[false], nothing is outputted. That's why it's preferrable to use a for() loop for these kind of things. Setting error_reporting to E_ALL also helps to catch these kinds of things.

 

Then there's the problem that by adding 1 to the count you're making it echo one more value than actually exists. It makes sense if you really think about it. If you have an array with 3 members, count() will return 3, but your array will have values at [0]-[2]. If you check the source of the page in your browser, you'll see that there's an extra "<br />" at the end.

 

So here's my suggestion:

<?php

$favorite_food = $_POST['favorite_food'];

if(!$favorite_food)
{
	?>

	<form action="words.php" method="POST">
	<input type="text" name="favorite_food">
	<input type="submit">
	</form>

	<?php
}
else
{
	$ex = explode(",", $favorite_food);
	$amount = count($ex);
	  
	for($i = 0; $i < $amount; $i++)
	{
		echo $ex[$i]."<br/>";
	}
}

?>

 

Thanks, this is much appreciated. I thought by adding one, that would fix the problem with $i. I forgot about for loops for some reason. :/

[kenrbnsn]

You can also do this with a foreach loop:

<?php
	$ex = explode(",", $favorite_food);
	foreach ($ex as $food)
	{
		echo "$food<br/>";
	}
?>

 

Ken

 

[dcro2]

You can also do this with a foreach loop:

<?php
	$ex = explode(",", $favorite_food);
	foreach ($ex as $food)
	{
		echo "$food<br/>";
	}
?>

 

Ken

 

Haha, so true. Doh!

[QuickOldCar]

You can also do this with a foreach loop:

<?php
	$ex = explode(",", $favorite_food);
	foreach ($ex as $food)
	{
		echo "$food<br/>";
	}
?>

 

Ken

 

 

That's the way I do it and prefer.

[3raser]

Lol thanks guys, I'll keep that as a note.