PHP returning very odd $_POST results when using form arrays

Question

Right, when users submit a form to update their contact information... odd things happen that make very little sense to me, and make it impossible for me to properly parse the resulting data.

The $_POST data sent to my script (found via print_r) is as follows:

Array
(
    [name_first] => Charles
    [name_last] => Broughton
    [company] => 
    [address1] => 
    [address2] => 
    [city] => Bristol
    [region] => England
    [postal] => 
    [country] => 1
    [email] => *******************
    [phones_types] => Array
        (
            [0] => Cell
        )

    [phones_numbers] => Array
        (
            [0] => ************
        )

    [phone_types] => Array
        (
            [1] => Home
        )

    [phone_numbers] => Array
        (
            [1] => ************
        )

    [pass] => **********
    [id] => 
)

The form creating this odd output is as follows:

<form action="URL" method="POST">
  <table class="data" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody>
    <tr>
      <th colspan="3">Edit Contact</th>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>First Name:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="name_first" value="Charles"/> (required)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Last Name:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="name_last" value="Broughton"/></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Company:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="company" value=""/></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Address Line 1:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="address1" value=""/></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Address Line 2:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="address2" value=""/></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>City:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="city" value="Bristol"/> (required)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Region:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="region" value="England"/> (required)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Postal:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="postal" value=""/></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Country:</td>
      <td><select name="country">
        <option value="1" selected="selected">United Kingdom</option>
        <option value="2">United States</option>
      </select> (required)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Email:</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="email" value="*******************"/> (required)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Phones(s):</td>
      <td><input type="text" name="phones_types[0]" value="Cell"/>: <input type="text" name="phones_numbers[0]" value="************"/><br/><input type="text" name="phone_types[1]"/>: <input type="text" name="phone_numbers[1]"/></td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Current Password:</td>
      <td><input type="password" name="pass"/> (required)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr align="center">
      <td colspan="2"><input type="submit" value="Save Changed"/></td>
    </tr>
    <input type="hidden" name="id" value=""/>
  </tbody></table>
</form>

Does anybody know how I can remedy this, or parse it properly using PHP? I tried a for loop to parse both arrays as one, but neither of them are arrays due to the separation... the example of which is in the above print_r output.

--

EDIT I was attempting to parse the form data using the following bit of PHP, with the proceeding error message being outputted.

if (count($_POST['phone_types'])!=0 && count($_POST['phone_numbers'])!=0)
{
  for ($i = 0; $i < count($_POST['phone_types']); $i++)
  {
    if (!empty($_POST['phone_types'][$i]) && !empty($_POST['phone_numbers'][$i]))
      $phones[$_POST['phone_types'][$i]] = $_POST['phone_numbers'][$i];
  }
  $ph = "";
  foreach ($phones as $k => $v)
  {
    $ph.= "$k:$v;";
  }
  $phones = $ph;
}
else
  $phones = "";

Error:

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for `foreach()` in `FILE` on line 35

what are you expecting? that is what was posted if you do not change anything — Naftali
– Naftali, Commented Jul 18, 2011 at 22:13
I entered a second phone number and second type in the form when submitting it, and instead of getting two arrays of [0] => number, [1] => number... they are two different sets of two arrays due to... form input order I'm guessing? But then PHP doesn't understand it at all. — cbroughton
– cbroughton, Commented Jul 18, 2011 at 22:14
you have the namings of the inputs wrong (one is prural and one is singular) - if I understood your problem... — hex4
– hex4, Commented Jul 18, 2011 at 22:17

Marc B · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-18 22:15:17Z

2

You're using array notation in the input fields: phones_types[0] indicates to PHP that it should create a phones_types array, and this particularly field should be element 0 in it.

Any form field with [] at the end of its name is treated by PHP as a directive to treat it as an array, so you can submit multiple values to the same 'name'.

answered Jul 18, 2011 at 22:15

Marc B

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2 Comments

cbroughton Over a year ago

I am aware of this, but it is creating a single array PER index, I'm guessing because of the order of inputs on the form. Which means when I do a for or foreach on it.... the output does not have two indexes, but only one instead.

Daan Timmer Over a year ago

then why not just change it to [] instead of indexed versions? Should work properly anyway

hex4 · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-18 22:19:06Z

1

<input type="text" name="phones_types[0]" value="Cell"/>: 
<input type="text" name="phones_numbers[0]" value="************"/><br/>
<input type="text" name="phone_types[1]"/>: 
<input type="text" name="phone_numbers[1]"/>

should be:

<input type="text" name="phones_types[0]" value="Cell"/>: 
<input type="text" name="phones_numbers[0]" value="************"/><br/>
<input type="text" name="phones_types[1]"/>: 
<input type="text" name="phones_numbers[1]"/>

in order to be able to loop the phones_types & phones_number using a foreach

answered Jul 18, 2011 at 22:19

hex4

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1 Comment

cbroughton Over a year ago

Wow, I can't beleive I didn't see that.

simshaun · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-18 22:14:59Z

1

Field names that have brackets in them are automatically converted to arrays by PHP. If you are having problems with missing array entries, try changing [0] to [] in your field names.

See http://www.php.net/manual/en/faq.html.php#faq.html.arrays.

answered Jul 18, 2011 at 22:14

simshaun

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1 Comment

cbroughton Over a year ago

I am aware of this, but it is creating a single array PER index, I'm guessing because of the order of inputs on the form. Which means when I do a for or foreach on it.... the output does not have two indexes, but only one instead.

Naftali · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-18 22:18:49Z

0

One of your posts is for phones_numbers and the other is for phone_numbers

Those do no match so they will be separate _POST values

answered Jul 18, 2011 at 22:18

Naftali

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