PHP loop to generate array

Question

I am not so familiar but sure there should be some way to shorten my code. I am having multi-dimention array as below.

return array(

    'save' => 'here is the save message',

    'options' => array(

        // section for item 1
        array(
            'name' => 'Item 1',
            'type' => 'text',
            'id' => 'item_1_type_1',
        ),

        array(
            'name' => 'Item 2',
            'type' => 'text',
            'id' => 'item_1_type_2',
        ),

        array(
            'name' => 'Item 3',
            'type' => 'text',
            'id' => 'item_1_type_3',
        ),


        // section for item 2
        array(
            'name' => 'Item 1',
            'type' => 'text',
            'id' => 'item_2_type_1',
        ),

        array(
            'name' => 'Item 2',
            'type' => 'text',
            'id' => 'item_2_type_2',
        ),

        array(
            'name' => 'Item 3',
            'type' => 'text',
            'id' => 'item_2_type_3',
        ),

        // here I also may add more fields aprart from loop
        // but that would be an array with the same format

        'submit' => array(
                    'name' => 'Save Options',
                    'id' => 'save_theme_options'
                ),
    ),

);

Now I have total 10 items (please refer id) and each item has 10 fields (in reference code only 3). So if I would write code for each field it will become massive around 100 array so I am looking for some way where I can repeat loop for each item.

I hope I explained properly..

What's the desired output? Do you want to convert that array to something more structured? — Lee
– Lee, Commented Jul 23, 2013 at 11:54
I think he's rather trying to write less code. Use nested loops for it. — webrama.pl
– webrama.pl, Commented Jul 23, 2013 at 11:55
@PAM yes, you understood me in correct way. I am trying to make code shorter than 100s of arrays — Code Lover
– Code Lover, Commented Jul 23, 2013 at 11:55

user4035 · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-23 16:49:01Z

1

You need to find the patterns in your data and create the code, generating these patterns, instead of writing everything by hand:

<?php
$array = array(
    'save' => 'here is the save message',
    'options' => array(),
);

$n = 2;
$m = 3;
for ($i = 1; $i <= $n; ++$i)
{
    for ($j = 1; $j <= $m; ++$j)
    {
        $element = array(
            'name' => "Item $i",
            'type' => 'text',
            'id' => "item_" . $i . "_type_$j",
            );
        array_push($array['options'], $element);
    }
}

$array['options']['submit'] = array(
    'name' => 'Save Options',
    'id' => 'save_theme_options'
    );

var_dump($array);

Prints:

array(2) {
  ["save"]=>
  string(24) "here is the save message"
  ["options"]=>
  array(7) {
    [0]=>
    array(3) {
      ["name"]=>
      string(6) "Item 1"
      ["type"]=>
      string(4) "text"
      ["id"]=>
      string(13) "item_1_type_1"
    }
    [1]=>
    array(3) {
      ["name"]=>
      string(6) "Item 1"
      ["type"]=>
      string(4) "text"
      ["id"]=>
      string(13) "item_1_type_2"
    }
    [2]=>
    array(3) {
      ["name"]=>
      string(6) "Item 1"
      ["type"]=>
      string(4) "text"
      ["id"]=>
      string(13) "item_1_type_3"
    }
    [3]=>
    array(3) {
      ["name"]=>
      string(6) "Item 2"
      ["type"]=>
      string(4) "text"
      ["id"]=>
      string(13) "item_2_type_1"
    }
    [4]=>
    array(3) {
      ["name"]=>
      string(6) "Item 2"
      ["type"]=>
      string(4) "text"
      ["id"]=>
      string(13) "item_2_type_2"
    }
    [5]=>
    array(3) {
      ["name"]=>
      string(6) "Item 2"
      ["type"]=>
      string(4) "text"
      ["id"]=>
      string(13) "item_2_type_3"
    }
    ["submit"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["name"]=>
      string(12) "Save Options"
      ["id"]=>
      string(18) "save_theme_options"
    }
  }
}

edited Jul 23, 2013 at 16:49

answered Jul 23, 2013 at 12:01

user4035

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9 Comments

Code Lover Over a year ago

Your code is working fine too but can you please guide me for my confusion. Please refer my comment on Prashanth Bendra's answer

user4035 Over a year ago

@pixelngrain Looking, sorry, was busy

user4035 Over a year ago

@pixelngrain I looked at your conversation with Prashanth Bendra. Can you update your question, specifying, what output do you want to get? Except for that, generated by my code. Currently, it's hard to understand, what you want.

Code Lover Over a year ago

Okay give me some time I will do

user4035 Over a year ago

@pixelngrain To achieve this, you need to set static values to the array. Answer updated.

|

insanebits · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-23 12:03:59Z

0

$sections = "Section1,Section2";
$itemCount = 3; // how many items you need
$generated = array(); // generated array

foreach(explode(",",$sections) as $k/*for index number*/=>$v/*section name*/)
{
    for(int i = 0; i < $itemCount; $i++)
    {
        $generated[] = array("name" => "Item ".($i+1/*starts from 0*/), "type"=> "item", "id" => "$v_$k_type_$i");          
    }
}

answered Jul 23, 2013 at 12:03

insanebits

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