Using form fields to create PHP arrays

Question

I have an array that comes from a form POST and I'd like to group these together.

My first attempt is running a foreach loop on the array, but I'm unsuccesful in getting the logic to group them. I have the idea of creating a dynamic array using the number from the keys, but I'm unable to grab that number.

Initial array:

["affix-1-order"]=> "1";
["affix-1-type"]=> "Apple";
["affix-1-count"]=> "5";
["affix-3-order"]=> "2";
["affix-3-type"]=> "Orange";
["affix-3-count"]=> "10";
["affix-2-order"]=> "3";
["affix-2-type"]=> "Banana";
["affix-2-count"]=> "3";
["affix-4-order"]=> "4";
["affix-4-type"]=> "Mango";
["affix-4-count"]=> "15";

Expected output:

["1"]=> [{
    ["type"]=> "Apple",
    ["count"]=> "5",
    ["order"]=> "1"
}],
["2"]=> [{
    ["type"]=> "Banana",
    ["order"]=> "3",
    ["count"]=> "3"
}],
["3"]=> [{
    ["type"]=> "Orange",
    ["order"]=> "2",
    ["count"]=> "10",
}],
["4"]=> [{
    ["type"]=> "Mango",
    ["order"]=> "4",
    ["count"]=> "15"
}];

you could build your form so that you got the required array in the post with out any manipulation latter on — user557846
– user557846, Commented Jan 10, 2014 at 3:12
I don't understand? How do you suggest I group a key and 3 values within a form input? — veksen
– veksen, Commented Jan 10, 2014 at 3:18
name=X[]['type'] name=X[]['order'] name=X[]['count'], the post X array will be what you want — user557846
– user557846, Commented Jan 10, 2014 at 3:35

Sam · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-10 03:16:55Z

3

$array = array(
  "affix-1-order" => "1",
  "affix-1-type" => "Apple",
  "affix-1-count" => "5",
  "affix-3-order" => "2",
  "affix-3-type" => "Orange",
  "affix-3-count" => "10",
  "affix-2-order" => "3",
  "affix-2-type" => "Banana",
  "affix-2-count" => "3",
  "affix-4-order" => "4",
  "affix-4-type" => "Mango",
  "affix-4-count" => "15",
);

$final = array();
foreach($array as $key => $value) {
    preg_match('/affix\-([\d]+)\-(.*)/', $key, $matches);
    // $matches[0] = 'affix-1-order';
    // $matches[1] = '1';
    // $matches[2] = 'order';

    $final[$matches[1]][$matches[2]] = $value;
}

print_r($final);
// Array (
//   [1] => Array ( [order] => 1 [type] => Apple [count] => 5 )
//   [3] => Array ( [order] => 2 [type] => Orange [count] => 10 )
//   [2] => Array ( [order] => 3 [type] => Banana [count] => 3 )
//   [4] => Array ( [order] => 4 [type] => Mango [count] => 15 )
// )

answered Jan 10, 2014 at 3:16

Sam

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3 Comments

veksen Over a year ago

I ended up modifying the form, but this is a brilliant solution, thanks! :)

Sam Over a year ago

No problem @veksen, modifying the form is a much better solution. But its always good to learn a little bit of regex ;)

veksen Over a year ago

Regular expressions are definitly my next big leap

kuroi neko · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-10 03:36:43Z

2

I would rather follow Dagon's suggestion and modify the form or Ajax request that sends the data.

By using square brackets on the field names you can have PHP do the job for you.

<?php
if(count($_POST))
{
    print_r ($_POST['data']);
    die();
}
?>

<body onload='document.getElementById("post").submit();'>
    <form method="POST" id="post">
        <input type='text' name='data[0][type]'  value='Apple'>
        <input type='text' name='data[0][count]' value='5'>
        <input type='text' name='data[0][order]' value='1'>
        <input type='text' name='data[1][type]'  value='Banana'>
        <input type='text' name='data[1][count]' value='3'>
        <input type='text' name='data[1][order]' value='3'>
        <input type='text' name='data[2][type]'  value='Orange'>
        <input type='text' name='data[2][count]' value='2'>
        <input type='text' name='data[2][order]' value='10'>
        <input type='text' name='data[3][type]'  value='Mango'>
        <input type='text' name='data[3][count]' value='4'>
        <input type='text' name='data[3][order]' value='15'>
    </form>
</body>

output

[0] => Array
        [type] => Apple
        [count] => 5
        [order] => 1
[1] => Array
        [type] => Banana
        [count] => 3
        [order] => 3
[2] => Array
        [type] => Orange
        [count] => 2
        [order] => 10
[3] => Array
        [type] => Mango
        [count] => 4
        [order] => 15

answered Jan 10, 2014 at 3:36

kuroi neko

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4 Comments

Sam Over a year ago

Didn't read enough to see that this was coming from a POSTed form. This would be the better option.

kuroi neko Over a year ago

@SamSullivan OTOH my solution falls short of regexps :)

veksen Over a year ago

I didn't know this was possible... thank you, you just saved me hours of work :)

kuroi neko Over a year ago

So much the better. I actually stumbled onto this in the PHP manual. You can learn a lot by browsing the comments there, if you don't mind the ugliness of their presentation ;)

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