using file_get_contents() to put data into an array()

[xwielder]

In my "skill_array.txt" file I have:

0 => '-skill-'

,1 => 'Assassin (basic)'

,2 => 'Assassin (intermediate)'

,3 => 'Assassin (advanced)'

,4 => 'Hand to Hand (basic)'

,5 => 'Hand to Hand (intermediate)'

,6 => 'Hand to Hand (advanced)'

,7 => 'Martial Arts (basic)'

,8 => 'Martial Arts (advanced)'

,9 => 'Martial Arts (intermediate)'

In my "file.php" file, I have:

<?php

     $selects = array(file_get_contents("skill_array.txt"));

     print("<pre>");

     print_r($selects);

     print("</pre>");



     /* This is what I get */



     /*

     Array

     (

         [0] => 0 => '-skill-'

     ,1 => 'Assassin (basic)'

     ,2 => 'Assassin (intermediate)'

     ,3 => 'Assassin (advanced)'

     ,4 => 'Hand to Hand (basic)'

     ,5 => 'Hand to Hand (intermediate)'

     ,6 => 'Hand to Hand (advanced)'

     ,7 => 'Martial Arts (basic)'

     ,8 => 'Martial Arts (advanced)'

     ,9 => 'Martial Arts (intermediate)'

     )

     */

?>

Why doesn't it parse it like I'm wanting?  I want the print_r to show:

/*

Array

(

    [0] => -skill-

    [1] => Assassin (basic)

    [2] => Assassin (intermediate)

    [3] => Assassin (advanced)

    [4] => Hand to Hand (basic)

    [5] => Hand to Hand (intermediate)

    [6] => Hand to Hand (advanced)

    [7] => Martial Arts (basic)

    [8] => Martial Arts (advanced)

    [9] => Martial Arts (intermediate)

)

*/

[PaulRyan]

It doesn't work like that.

 

You have to save the array as a readable format for PHP, for example, use json_encode.

 

Like this:

 

<?PHP

  $skillsArray = array(0 => '-skill-',
                       1 => 'Assassin (basic)',
                       2 => 'Assassin (intermediate)',
                       3 => 'Assassin (advanced)',
                       4 => 'Hand to Hand (basic)',
                       5 => 'Hand to Hand (intermediate)',
                       6 => 'Hand to Hand (advanced)',
                       7 => 'Martial Arts (basic)',
                       8 => 'Martial Arts (advanced)',
                       9 => 'Martial Arts (intermediate)'
                      );
 
  $skillsArray = json_encode($skillsArray);

  echo '<pre>';
  print_r($skillsArray);
 
?>

 

Then use file_put_contents, to put the $skillsArray content in the "skills_array.txt" file.

 

Then when retrieving the data, you do something like:

 

<?PHP

  $content = file_get_contents('skills_array.txt');
  $content = json_decode($content, TRUE);
 
  echo '<pre>';
  print_r($content);
 
?>

[xwielder]

Fair enough.  I've opted to do the following:

 

My "skill_array.txt" file is now "skill_array.php".

Here is that file now:

 

<?php
$selects = array(0 => '-skill-'
,1 => 'Assassin (basic)'
,2 => 'Assassin (intermediate)'
,3 => 'Assassin (advanced)'
,4 => 'Hand to Hand (basic)'
,5 => 'Hand to Hand (intermediate)'
,6 => 'Hand to Hand (advanced)'
,7 => 'Martial Arts (basic)'
,8 => 'Martial Arts (advanced)'
,9 => 'Martial Arts (intermediate)'
);
?>

 

And now in my "file.php" file:

 

<?php include("skill_array.php"); ?>

 

Everything works great.  I'm not sure why "$selects = array(file_get_contents("skill_array.txt"));" doesn't, as you say, "work like that", but if it doesn't it doesn't. 

 

Thanks for your help and advice!

[PaulRyan]

It's because it isn't interpreted as an array when it's in plain text. PHP assumes it just it's plain text and doesn't convert it to an array as you want it too.

 

Glad you fixed your problem