Adding data to an array

Question

I am trying a add data to an array using a while loop but it seems to be adding the data as a string not array. Loops/arrays are something I'm still learning any help would be great.

$c = 0;
$numberofcustom = 5;
$defaults = array(
'title' => __('Follow Us!', 'smw'),
 'text' => ''
);
while ($c < $numberofcustom) {
    $customnumber = $c + 1;
    $defaults.=array(
        'custom' . $customnumber . 'name' => __('', 'smw'),
        'custom' . $customnumber . 'icon' => __('', 'smw'),
        'custom' . $customnumber . 'url' => __('', 'smw')
    );
    $c++;
}

print_r($defaults);

The problem seems to be with adding the data from the loop if I do a print_r just on that I just get "array" back.

Any help would be appreciated.

UPDATE

I decided I don't need a multi dimensional array so I used the suggestions below and came up with

while( $c < $numberofcustom){
    $customnumber = $c+1;
        $defaults['custom'.$customnumber.'name'] = __('', 'smw');
        $defaults['custom'.$customnumber.'icon'] = __('', 'smw');
        $defaults['custom'.$customnumber.'url'] = __('', 'smw');
    $c++;       
    }

Matteo Riva · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-18 08:39:08Z

1

Don't do this:

$defaults.=array(

            'custom'.$customnumber.'name' => __('', 'smw'),
            'custom'.$customnumber.'icon' => __('', 'smw'),
            'custom'.$customnumber.'url' => __('', 'smw')
             );

dynamic array keys are almost as bad as variables with a dynamic name. Use another array level instead:

$defaults[$customernumber] = array(
    'customname' => __('', 'smw'),
    'customicon' => __('', 'smw'),
    'customurl'  => __('', 'smw'),
);

answered Sep 18, 2011 at 8:39

Matteo Riva

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2 Comments

Brooke. Over a year ago

Thanks, I edited my question with the solution I came up with based on your answer as I didn't need a multi-dimensional array.

Brooke. Over a year ago

Eh, nothing really it just makes it harder to get the data back out (it's for a WordPress plugin)

evgeny · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-18 08:33:11Z

1

You need to use $arrayname[] = $var, that's the PHP syntax for appending new items. See this page.

$defaults[] =array(
            'custom'.$customnumber.'name' => __('', 'smw'),
            'custom'.$customnumber.'icon' => __('', 'smw'),
            'custom'.$customnumber.'url' => __('', 'smw')
             );

answered Sep 18, 2011 at 8:33

evgeny

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1 Comment

Brooke. Over a year ago

Thanks that seemed to work. Is there a way to add to the array without making it multi dimensional. I tried $defaults[]= 'custom....' and that didn't work.

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