PHP: Multidimensional array to HTML

Question

I'm trying to create an HTML using PHP associate array. My function looks like:

function generateTable($associative_array){
echo '<table><thead><tr><th>';
echo implode('</th><th>', array_keys(current($associative_array)));
echo '</th></tr></thead><tbody>';
foreach ($associative_array as $row){
    array_map('htmlentities', $row);
    echo '<tr valign="top"><td>';
    echo implode('</td><td>', $row); 
    echo '</td></tr>';
}
echo '</tbody></table>';
}

AND my associative array generated is like this:

array(2) { 
  [0]=> array(3) { 
    ["Objective"]=> string(21) "Product Catalog Sales" 
    ["Targeting Group"]=> array(3) { 
      [0]=> string(31) "female Age 18-24 28.73% cheaper" 
      [1]=> string(31) "female Age 25-34 28.18% cheaper"  
      [2]=> string(30) "female Age 35-44 4.51% cheaper" 
    } 
    ["Placement"]=> array(3) { 
      [0]=> string(33) "mobile_feed iphone 30.62% cheaper" 
      [1]=> string(45) "mobile_feed android_smartphone 19.58% cheaper"  
      [2]=> string(33) "right_hand desktop 21.48% cheaper" 
    } 
  } 
  [1]=> array(3) { 
    ["Objective"]=> string(11) "Conversions" 
    ["Targeting Group"]=> array(6) { 
      [0]=> string(31) "female Age 18-24 28.73% cheaper" 
      [1]=> string(31) "female Age 25-34 28.18% cheaper" 
      [2]=> string(30) "female Age 35-44 4.51% cheaper" 
      [3]=> string(31) "female Age 18-24 14.41% cheaper" 
      [4]=> string(31) "female Age 25-34 14.75% cheaper" 
      [5]=> string(30) "female Age 35-44 6.14% cheaper" 
    } 
    ["Placement"]=> array(4) { 
      [0]=> string(33) "mobile_feed iphone 30.62% cheaper" 
      [1]=> string(45) "mobile_feed android_smartphone 19.58% cheaper"  
      [2]=> string(33) "right_hand desktop 21.48% cheaper" 
      [3]=> string(33) "right_hand desktop 58.77% cheaper" 
    } 
  }
}

The table structure is being generated, but it is unable to input the values, below is the error that is displayed: can someone please help how to modify the function.

Warning: htmlentities() expects parameter 1 to be string

Notice: Array to string conversion

it would be difficult to collect all values as strings.I need to collect some of them as arrays — user4943236
– user4943236, Commented Jan 5, 2016 at 11:54
You could use serialize() or something similiar to display them as text. Or you could loop through the inner array and create a sub-row so to speak. I don't know any decent solutions for this to be honest, its always a bit odd — Crecket
– Crecket, Commented Jan 5, 2016 at 11:56
Not the source of your warning, but your code does not output or assign the result of array_map(), which does not operate on arrays by reference. So this line of code is redundant? — Darragh Enright
– Darragh Enright, Commented Jan 5, 2016 at 12:04

Axel Amthor · Accepted Answer · 2016-01-05 15:20:41Z

Before applying any escaping or quoting functions to this complex construct, get yourself a idea of what the result should look alike. That's a two- to three-dimensional array. It has, on the second level, both strings and another array. Furthermore, it's a mixed flat and associated array.

So your "row" isn't a row at all, but a complex associative array itself.

I suggest to create objects from the second level on:

class AdsSpec {
  private $objective;
  private $targetGroup;
  private $placement;
   ...
  function getObjective()
  { 
    return $this->objective;
  }
}

etc. And then

$newArray = array();

foreach ($associative_array as $obj) {
   $ads = new AdSpec($obj['Objective'], $obj["Targeting Group"], $obj["Placement"]);
   $newArray[] = $ads;
}

furthermore:

foreach ( $newArray as $adsObject )
{
 ...
    echo htmlentities($adsObject->getObjective());

 ...

This would clear the array stuff and separate rendering from the object itself.

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