How to fix error: Cannot use string offset as an array

Question

I'm working on some old PHP website and cannot figure out how to fix this kind of error:

Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Cannot use string offset as an array

This is the part where the error is being thrown

$ret["content"]["news"] = array();
$start = ($pagenum - 1) * $page_rows;
$stop = ($count > $start + $page_rows) ? $start + $page_rows : $count;

for($i = $start; $i < $stop; $i++)
{
    $cnt = sizeof($ret["content"]["news"]);
    print_r($ret);
    $ret["content"]["news"][$cnt] = $this->getPost($all[$i]);           
}

print_r returns

Array ( [content] => A [template] => intro )

Error is being thrown at this line

$ret["content"]["news"][$cnt] = $this->getPost($all[$i]);

Full code source: https://pastebin.com/aPC2suL5

what is the type of $ret["content"]["news"]? If not array it will throw error — CSSBurner
– CSSBurner, Commented Jul 9, 2018 at 12:25
$ret["content"] is a string. What do you expect by adding [news]? — u_mulder
– u_mulder, Commented Jul 9, 2018 at 12:28
As has been mentioned, your code is setting $ret["content"] to various string values. $ret = array("content" => "", "template" => "intro"); and $ret["content"] = $this->getPost($_GET["id"]); and $ret["content"] = "Nothing here"; all do this. If you later want to make $ret["content"], then you probably need to initialize it as such first by doing $ret["content"] = array();. — Patrick Q
– Patrick Q, Commented Jul 9, 2018 at 12:36

Mm-Art-In · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-09 12:41:38Z

1

Many parts of your code are type-swapping your variables; mixing arrays and strings. Try the below:

for($i = $start; $i < $stop; $i++)
{
   // Debug only. Remove once bugs are squashed. 
   if(!is_array($ret["content"])){
      error_log("You've set ret['content'] as a non-array; probably a string!");
    }  
    if(!is_array($ret["content"]["news"])){
        error_log("You've set ret['content']['news'] as a non-array too!");
    }
    //end debug block
    /***  
     * You do not need to count the array values each time, simply append with []
     ***/
    $ret["content"]["news"][] = $this->getPost($all[$i]);           
}

answered Jul 9, 2018 at 12:41

Mm-Art-In

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