PHP PDO FetchAll - format of array

Question

I have a simple bit of code:

:ul1 = 0;

$sql = "SELECT word FROM tbl WHERE 1 = 1 AND catid > :ul1 ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 3";

$stmt1 = $pdo->prepare($sql1);
$stmt1->bindParam(':ul1', $ul1);
$stmt1->execute();
$row1 = $stmt1->fetchAll();

var_dump($row1);

That outputs:

array(3) {
  [0]=>
  array(2) {
    ["word"]=>
    string(8) "arrochar"
    [0]=>
    string(8) "arrochar"
  }
  [1]=>
  array(2) {
    ["word"]=>
    string(7) "cabinet"
    [0]=>
    string(7) "cabinet"
  }
  [2]=>
  array(2) {
    ["word"]=>
    string(10) "doghearted"
    [0]=>
    string(10) "doghearted"
  }
}

I can access an array element via:

$test = $row1[2][0];

I wondered if there is any way I can get a more simple array output - e.g. each array element seems to contain the same thing twice.

Not that it matters - I can still do what I need to do, I was just curious.

Your Common Sense · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-12 08:44:50Z

1

Although you are asking for PDO::FETCH_ASSOC constant (by calling fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC) you'll get only single value), yet there is an even more intelligent fetch mode - PDO::FETCH_COLUMN

$ul1 = 0;
$sql = "SELECT word FROM tbl WHERE catid > ? ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 3";
$stmt = $pdo->prepare($sql);
$stmt->execute([$ul1]);
$data = $stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_COLUMN);

var_dump($data);

this way you'll get just a simple one-dimensional array which you can address the most natural way:

$test = $data[2];

or iterate over with

foreach ($data as $word)
{
    echo "$word</br>\n";
}

edited Sep 12, 2016 at 8:44

answered Sep 12, 2016 at 8:29

Your Common Sense

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2 Comments

4532066 Over a year ago

Thanks for that - I spent a lot of time on your phpdelusions website when I was starting out with PDO earlier this year. I should have spotted the PDO::FETCH_COLUMN bit on your site as I checked it before posting here. Thanks again.

Your Common Sense Over a year ago

That is understandable because there is way too much information and nobody can get it all at once :(

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