scalar value error

[StevenOliver]

In this array, I have 3 broken tools at $10.00 each:

[TOOLS] => Array
   (
     [good_quality] => 3
     [good_price] => 10.00
     [broken] => 3
     [broken_price] => 5.00
   )
)

foreach($tools as $i => $val) {
echo 'We have '.$val["broken"].' broken tools at '.$val["broken_price"].' each";
}

Sometimes I have no broken tools, then the array will look like this:

[TOOLS] => Array
        (
            [good_quality] => 3
            [good_price] => 10.00
        )

)

If I were to run the loop now, it would give an "undefined index" error.

However, when I define the index like this, it will give a "Cannot use a scalar value as an array" error:

foreach($tools as $i => $val) {
if(!isset($val["broken"])) { $val["broken"] = 0; }
echo 'We have '.$val["broken"].' broken tools at '.$val["broken_price"].' each";
}

Why? And what is the best way to handle this, please?

Edited April 11, 2020 by StevenOliver

[ginerjm]

You are running that loop with the index values already represented as $i .  Why do you want to mention an explicit index value?

foreach($tools as $i => $val) 
{
	if ($i == 'broken')
		echo "We have $val $i tools at {$val['broken_price']} each";
	if ($i == 'good_quality')
		echo "We have $val $i tools at {$val{'good_price']} each";
}

 

[requinix]

$tools is not a collection of tools. It is an associative array containing 2 or 4 values. foreaching over an associative array is almost always incorrect.

if (isset($tools["good_quality"])) {
	printf("We have %s good quality tools at $%.02f each", $tools["good_quality"], $tools["good_price"]);
}
if (isset($tools["broken"])) {
	printf("We have %s broken tools at $%.02f each", $tools["broken"], $tools["broken_price"]);
}

 

[Barand]

Might I suggest

$tools = [   'good'   => [ 'qty' => 3, 'price' => 10.00 ],
             'broken' => [ 'qty' => 3, 'price' => 5.00 ]
         ];
         
foreach ($tools as $condition => $data) {
    printf("We have %d %s tools at \$%0.2f each<br>", $data['qty'], $condition, $data['price']);
}

Gives

We have 3 good tools at $10.00 each
We have 3 broken tools at $5.00 each

 

[mac_gyver]

edit: pretty much repeating what they ^^^ said -

your data is not stored/indexed in a way that you can simply produce the desired output from it. also, 'tools' is a type/category of items.

assuming that wherever this data is retrieved from, you are only getting the data that you want in the order that you want it, or that you would filter the data before using it, see the following -

$items['tools']['good']['quantity'] = 3;
$items['tools']['good']['price'] = 10.00;
$items['tools']['broken']['quantity'] = 3;
$items['tools']['broken']['price'] = 5.00;

$curency = '$';

foreach($items as $type=>$arr)
{
	foreach($arr as $condition=>$item)
	{
		$price = number_format($item['price'],2);
		echo "We have {$item['quantity']} $condition $type at $curency$price each.<br>";
	}
}

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by mac_gyver

[StevenOliver]

Thank you all for your reply!

Ginerjm, I'm provided an array that sometimes has "broken tools" and sometimes does not. I wanted to have just one "blanket response" to echo whether the array has Broken Tools or  not (e.g.  if absent, then "you have 0 broken tools").

Requinix, good point. The fact that I missed this shows I'm lacking a fundamental understanding about arrays. Often when I'm coding I'll realize I don't really know what I'm doing, and then I'll take an hour (usually several hours or a day or more) to read up and learn. Nowadays I'm realizing that if I just go for the "quick fix" I'll never really know what I'm doing haha

Barand, Thank you -- as always, your coding is SO efficient clean and simple! As soon as I've corrected my mistake in my old code (and thus proven to myself I understand what I did wrong), I'll implement your code!

Mac_Gyver, your code definitely cleans up my code. However, I want to echo a "blanket statement" saying there are no "Broken Tools" if the array I'm provided makes no mention of Broken Tools. Your code says "$items['tools']['broken']['quantity'] = 3" but sometimes the array I'm provided does not have "broken" in it. I'm trying to "initialize" the $items['tools']['broken']['quantity'] at zero '0' if $items['tools']['broken']['quantity'] does not exist to begin with.

.... of course I could always do an "if Broken is not in the array at all" echo Blanket Statement One, otherwise echo Blanket Statement Two.... but that would be the quick fix and easy way out, and I wouldn't have learned anything :-)

[ginerjm]

All have helped you out I see.  But - I really thought that my solution worked perfectly well for you using the data as you have it currently defined.