PHP mysql insert associative array into database from a "dynamic" form

Question

I have a form that allows for the duplication of fields. The form is posted via php and inserted into a database. My problem is I cannot seem to loop through the array correctly. Am I setting up the form correctly (are the name's formatted correctly) and am I looping through the arrays correctly? I am not successful in getting any data inserted.

The trick is that the duplicated fields need to stick together.

Think of the fields as sets of questions and answers.

Each question has a title, the question text and a file input.

Each answer has a title, the answer text a file input, and a check box to note the correct answer.

I have the name's set up like so:

name='question[1][title]'
name='question[1][text]'
name='question[1][file]'

answer[1][title][]
answer[1][text][]
answer[1][file][]
answer[1][correct][]

The php to insert the form is as follows:

$insert_question = $db->prepare(
   'insert into questions (title, text) values (?, ?)');
$insert_answer = $db->prepare(
   'insert into answers (question_id, title, text, correct)'.
   ' values (?, ?, ?, ?)');
foreach ($_POST['question'] as $q_num => $q)
{
   $insert_question->execute(array($q['title'], $q['text']));
   $q_id = $db->lastInsertId();

   //********************
   // insert files
   //********************

   foreach ($_POST['answer'][$q_num] as $a)
   {
      $insert_answer->execute(
         array($q_id, $a['title'], $a['text'], $a['correct']));
   }
}

Sorry that this is such a huge question. I have been working on this for two days now and have run out of ideas.

Mathias E. · Accepted Answer · 2010-12-22 18:39:43Z

2

I'm not sure I understood your problem (I don't speak english fluently).

But here you need an other loop instead of this one:

   foreach ($_POST['answer'][$q_num] as $a)
   {
      $insert_answer->execute(
         array($q_id, $a['title'], $a['text'], $a['correct']));
   }

like :

$lim = count($_POST['answer'][$q_num]['title']);
for($i=0;$i<$lim;++$i){
   $insert_answer->execute(
             array($q_id, $_POST['answer'][$q_num]['title'][$i], $_POST['answer'][$q_num]['text'][$i], $_POST['answer'][$q_num]['correct'][$i]));
}

It didn't test anything and it should work only if you always get title, text and correct in an answer.

answered Dec 22, 2010 at 18:39

Mathias E.

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2 Comments

superUntitled Over a year ago

thanks for your answer, unfortunately, I need the data insert regardless of empty title fields.

Mathias E. Over a year ago

Did you test the solution? No matter whether the title is empty while the textfield exists.

pjabang · Accepted Answer · 2010-12-22 18:39:39Z

0

The issue is with the second loop (answer array). Try this

<?php 
  foreach ($_POST['answer'][$q_num]['title'] as $a => $value)
   {
    $insert_answer->execute(
       array($q_id, $_POST['answer'][$q_num]['title'][$a], $_POST['answer'][$q_num]['text'][$a], $_POST['answer'][$q_num]['correct'][$a]));
}

?>

answered Dec 22, 2010 at 18:39

pjabang

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1 Comment

superUntitled Over a year ago

thanks for your answer, unfortunately, I need the data insert regardless of empty title fields.

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