PHP array not showing select list in HTML

Question

I have an array with a list of states and I am trying to get it to show up in my select list. I am getting no errors, but nothing is showing up in the select list as an option. I am just trying to get it to loop through the array and display the states in the HTML.

function statesList() {
$states = array('AL'=>"Alabama",
                'AK'=>"Alaska",
                'AZ'=>"Arizona",
                'AR'=>"Arkansas",
                'CA'=>"California",
                'WY'=>"Wyoming");
return $states;
}

$email_form = '<?php $states = statesList(); ?>
<form class="aw-contact-form" method="post" action="' . get_permalink() . '">
        <label for="cf_state">' . $label_state . '</label>
            <select name="state" id="cf_state">
                <option selected="selected"></option>
                <?php foreach($states as $key=>$value) { ?>
                <option value="<?php echo $key; ?>"><?php $value; ?></option>
                <?php } ?>
            </select>
</form>';

return $email_form;

Is my syntax wrong? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

You can't use <?php inside a string, it can only be used when you're outside the PHP script, to get back into PHP execution mode. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Jul 3, 2014 at 6:05

Qarib Haider · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-03 06:46:44Z

2

Yes the syntax has issues, foreach was placed inside the string so it was parsed as a string not php code to execute. Also $states was empty because it was placed outside the function. To get the $states value you had to call the function. This is the fixed version:

function statesList() {
$states = array('AL'=>"Alabama",
                'AK'=>"Alaska",
                'AZ'=>"Arizona",
                'AR'=>"Arkansas",
                'CA'=>"California",
                'WY'=>"Wyoming");
return $states;
}    


$email_form = '<form class="aw-contact-form" method="post" action="' . get_permalink() . '">
        <label for="cf_state">' . $label_state . '</label>
            <select name="state" id="cf_state">
                <option selected="selected"></option>';

$states = statesList();
foreach ($states as $key => $value) {
    $email_form .= '<option value="' . $key . '">' . $value . '</option>';
}
$email_form .= '</select>
</form>';

return $email_form;

edited Jul 3, 2014 at 6:46

answered Jul 3, 2014 at 5:59

Qarib Haider

4,9265 gold badges30 silver badges38 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Justin Over a year ago

Thanks for everyone for their answers, but this one did the trick. Thanks Syed!

YourFriend · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-03 06:03:35Z

There was a few syntax issues, but I cleaned them up for you.

<html>
<head>
<title>Online PHP Script Execution</title>
</head>
<body>
<?php
function statesList() {
$states = array('AL'=>"Alabama",
                'AK'=>"Alaska",
                'AZ'=>"Arizona",
                'AR'=>"Arkansas",
                'CA'=>"California",
                'WY'=>"Wyoming");
return $states;
}

$email_form = ($states = statesList());
?>
<form class="aw-contact-form" method="post" action="hello.php">
        <label for="cf_state"><?php echo $label_state  ?> </label>
            <select name="state" id="cf_state">
                <option selected="selected"></option>
                <?php foreach($states as $key=>$state) { ?>
                <option value="<?php echo $key; ?>"><?php echo $state; ?></option>
                <?php } ?>
            </select>
</form>
<?php 
return $email_form;
?>
</body>
</html>

DWX · Accepted Answer · 2014-07-03 06:37:19Z

Try this:

<?php 
error_reporting(0);
function statesList() {
$states = array('AL'=>"Alabama",
                'AK'=>"Alaska",
                'AZ'=>"Arizona",
                'AR'=>"Arkansas",
                'CA'=>"California",
                'WY'=>"Wyoming");
return $states;
}
$states = statesList(); 
$email_form .= '<form class="aw-contact-form" method="post" action="' . get_permalink() . '">
                <label for="cf_state">' . $label_state . '</label>
                <select name="state" id="cf_state">
                <option selected="selected"></option>';
                foreach($states as $key=>$value) { 
                $email_form .= '<option value="'.$key.'">'.$value.'</option>';
                 } 
            $email_form .= '</select>
            </form>';

return $email_form;

?>

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

PHP array not showing select list in HTML

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

1 Comment

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related