Convert complex array to foreach loop

Question

I have an application where there are 2 initial fields:

Name
Price

the form looks like this:

<form>
<input type="hidden" name="type" value="television" />
<label>Name <input type="text" name="name[]" /></label>
<label>Price <input type="text"" name="price[]" /></label>
</form>

currently a user is able to "add more" fields to the form, which works just fine. So for example if someone clicks on the add more button the form looks like this:

<form>
<input type="hidden" name="type" value="television" />

<label>Name <input type="text" name="name[]" /></label>
<label>Price <input type="text"" name="price[]" /></label>

<label>Name <input type="text" name="name[]" /></label>
<label>Price <input type="text"" name="price[]" /></label>
</form>

And then they can add more names/prices. The problem I'm running into is that I'm not able to associate the first price field with the first name field, and so on and so fourth in when I'm about to insert it into the DB. I'm using ajax to post the data and that's also working just fine.

Currently when I var_dump the post the array looks like this:

array(3) {
  ["type"]=>
  string(10) "television"
  ["name"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(8) "name one"
    [1]=>
    string(8) "name two"
  }
  ["price"]=>
  array(2) {
    [0]=>
    string(9) "price one"
    [1]=>
    string(9) "price two"
  }
}

What I need is the ability to merge the array values to look exactly like this:

array(
    "name" => "name one",
    "price" => "price one",
    "type" => "television"
)

array(
    "name" => "name two",
    "price" => "price two",
    "type" => "television"
)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

it is a common array transformation. What did you try .?

MatRt
– MatRt

2013-05-28 23:51:37 +00:00
Commented May 28, 2013 at 23:51 — MatRt
– MatRt, Commented May 28, 2013 at 23:51

Samuel Cook · Accepted Answer · 2013-05-29 00:01:53Z

2

if you know that each name is going to have a price then you could use the key from any of the $_POST array variables to create your output.

Note: this will not create separate arrays but will group the three together for easier "readability":

$_POST = array(
  "type"=> "television",
  "name"=> array("name one","name two"),
  "price"=> array("price one","price two"),
);

$output = array();
foreach($_POST['name'] as $key=>$name){
    $output[$key]['name'] = $name;
    $output[$key]['price'] = $_POST['price'][$key];
    $output[$key]['type'] = $_POST['type'];
}
echo '<pre>',print_r($output),'</pre>';

edited May 29, 2013 at 0:01

answered May 28, 2013 at 23:52

Samuel Cook

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5 Comments

MatRt Over a year ago

$_POST[$key] this will not work dude. did you try your answer .? I think it is $_POST['price'][$key] instead

MatRt Over a year ago

Yes, and in your example, $key is a numeric key (0, 1, 2..) so $_POST[$key] will not give you what you want

Samuel Cook Over a year ago

i had the key backwards from the array name. apologizes.

MatRt Over a year ago

Now that's good, but you can avoid to force the index of the new array $output and instead add a sub array like $output[] = array($name, $_POST['price'][$key], $_POST['type']) in order to let the array manage itself the numeric index.

Eddie Over a year ago

Thanks Samuel that completely worked for me. Your a life saver!

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