PHP => $_SESSION Array only keeps last variable

Question

I'm building an interface for an online shop, where every item is a FORM and the BUY button is a submit,it submits the name and price of the clicked form and that data is displayed on a CONFIRM ORDER page. On that confirm order page I've created an array as follows

if (!isset($input_order_arr)) {
  $input_order_arr = array();
}

After that I fetch the posted variables and push them into the array

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
  if (!empty($_POST['item-title'])  && !empty($_POST['item-price'])) {
    $item_title = test_input($_POST['item-title']);
    $item_price = test_input($_POST['item-price']);
    array_push($input_order_arr,$item_title,$item_price);
  }
}

$_SESSION['chosen_item'] = $input_order_arr;

*NOTE : test_input is a function that does striplashes , htmlspecialchars and htmltrim, for security purposes. (someone might edit the value of the item via the Chrome developer console? not sure if that holds any threat though)

And after that the value is displayed in a table like so

              <?php if (isset($_SESSION['chosen_item'])) {
                foreach ($_SESSION['chosen_item'] as $value) {
                  echo "<td>" . $value . "</td>";
                }
              }  ?>

And here comes the problem.

If you order an item its price and name are displayed, but if u go back and you order another item, the previous item and its price are lost, as if its not adding new lines to the array,but replacing the old ones, or the session only saves data from one action, which wouldn't make any sense, since thats what $_SESSION is about, the code is presented with session_start(); in every page that is using the $_SESSION variable.

Main Question - Why could it be that the $_SESSION Array is losing its older inputs?

I don't see how $input_order_arr and $_SESSION['chosen_item'] are connected. — u_mulder
– u_mulder, Commented Jul 5, 2017 at 11:31
Stop using test_input, it's nonsense. It doesn't even live up to its own name! — deceze
– deceze ♦, Commented Jul 5, 2017 at 11:36
Note: this code $_SESSION['chosen_item'] = $input_order_arr; will overwrite $_SESSION['chosen_item'] so if you thought you were adding to the $_SESSION['chosen_item'] array you are not — RiggsFolly
– RiggsFolly, Commented Jul 5, 2017 at 11:37

RiggsFolly · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-05 11:51:12Z

1

You could push directly into the session like this

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
    if (!empty($_POST['item-title'])  && !empty($_POST['item-price'])) {

        array_push($_SESSION['chosen_item'],
                    test_input($_POST['item-title']),
                    test_input($_POST['item-price'])
                  );
    }
}

//$_SESSION['chosen_item'] = $input_order_arr;

Or as your test_input() is likely doing nothing useful

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
    if (!empty($_POST['item-title'])  && !empty($_POST['item-price'])) {

        array_push($_SESSION['chosen_item'],
                    $_POST['item-title'],
                    $_POST['item-price']
                  );
    }
}

You might find this data easier to use later by doing

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
    if (!empty($_POST['item-title'])  && !empty($_POST['item-price'])) {

        array_push($_SESSION['chosen_item'],
                    array('title' => $_POST['item-title'],
                          'price' => $_POST['item-price']
                        )
                  );
    }
}

edited Jul 5, 2017 at 11:51

answered Jul 5, 2017 at 11:47

RiggsFolly

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3 Comments

Denislav Karagiozov Over a year ago

Approved answer bro ! Before this I was attempting to make it an array with keys and values , so I had to use a separate variable and than make the session take the array... Thanks brother ! Have a good one

RiggsFolly Over a year ago

I was wondering how you were going to make sense of the data later, added a suggestion to create a usable array of arrays

Denislav Karagiozov Over a year ago

The item is displayed in a table which is in a form, clicking "finish order" does a submit and sends to the DB the item + price + user_name + userinputted phone and address for delivery + userinputted phone. I havent gotten to making that work yet, but it seems easier than this in any case :D

JYoThI · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-05 11:43:41Z

1

you need $_SESSION['chosen_item'][]=$input_order_arr; your overwriting the same index instead of creating new one

$_SESSION['chosen_item'][]=$input_order_arr;

Note : And also it should be moved inside the if statement .to avoid empty array storing in session

edited Jul 5, 2017 at 11:43

answered Jul 5, 2017 at 11:39

JYoThI

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3 Comments

mighTY Over a year ago

Yes, but he will be adding empty array elements every time there is no POST request.

Denislav Karagiozov Over a year ago

yea yea.... I get what I did wrong.. blyat...thanks for your time and thorough explanation @JYoThI , Live long and prosper brother

JYoThI Over a year ago

glad to help you @DenislavKaragiozov

mighTY · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-05 11:47:12Z

-1

When you go back, you basically are setting the chosen_item array element to empty, since $input_order_arr would not contain anything when you haven't submitted a form.

You should append to the session array only if there is a nonempty $input_order_arr array:

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] == 'POST') {
  if (!empty($_POST['item-title'])  && !empty($_POST['item-price'])) {
    $item_title = test_input($_POST['item-title']);
    $item_price = test_input($_POST['item-price']);
    array_push($input_order_arr,$item_title,$item_price);

    $_SESSION['chosen_item'][] = $input_order_arr;
  }
}

edited Jul 5, 2017 at 11:47

answered Jul 5, 2017 at 11:35

mighTY

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1 Comment

Murad Hasan Over a year ago

NO need to use inside, Cause array_push() used

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