[SOLVED] Splitting up textarea forms into different variables

[anolan13]

Hi,

 

Using PHP and MySQL to get user information.

 

I have a textarea field (html) and  I ask for people to list their favorite animals, seperated by commas and spaces.

 

Example, a user may enter something like this:

 

monkeys, dogs, tigers

 

We all know though that this textarea is going to enter it into the database(MySQL) as one variable say...$animals.

 

and $animals =  monkeys, dogs, tigers 

 

What if I want it to automatically split those into three different variables?

 

$animal1 = monkeys

$animal2 = dogs

$animal3 = tigers

 

I imagine it would use loops, and something else. That something else is what confuses me. Can this even be done? I know this is a little confusing but any help would be greatly appreciated thank you.

 

 

[Dane]

Hey,

 

I think i can help.

 

<?php
$animal  = "monkeys dogs tigers";
$pieces = explode(" ", $animal);
echo $pieces[0]; // piece1
echo $pieces[1]; // piece2
?>

 

Or if they're seperated by commas

<?php
$animal  = "monkeys,dogs,tigers";
$pieces = explode(",", $animal);
echo $pieces[0]; // piece1
echo $pieces[1]; // piece2
?>

[hitman6003]

use the explode command...

 

http://www.php.net/explode

 

$animals = explode(", ", $_POST['animals']);

[Yesideez]

I'd use this if you want to remove the spaces as well:

$animals=explode(',',$_POST['animals']);
for ($i=0;$i<count($animals);$i++) {
  $animals[$i]=trim($animals[$i]);
}

[kenrbnsn]

Yet another way:

<?php
$str = "monkeys ,dogs , tigers";
$animals = array_map("trim",explode(',',$str));
echo '<pre>' . print_r($animals,true) . '</pre>';
?>

 

Ken