PHP: How to correctly loop through multi-dimen post arrays

Question

If I have a form with fields like this.

THERE WILL BE MULTIPLE ROWS OF THESE FIELDS HENCE THE SQUARE BRACKETS

<input type="text" name="txt-receipt-number[]" value="" />
<input type="text" name="txt-stock-number[]"  value="" />
<input type="text" name="txt-repair-code[]" value="" />

How do I loop through the $_POST variable to get the values because its getting the field names but not the values, what am I doing wrong please?

$fields = array();
$values = array();

foreach($_POST as $field => $value) {
   $fields[] = $field;
   echo $value;

}

Output:

ArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArray

Update:

Sorry, quick edit for correct output...

Further Update:

Lets ignore the insert, how do I get the values please?

Do you actually expect multiple values for each of the text fields in arrays, or only the single value? — Michael Berkowski
– Michael Berkowski, Commented Sep 28, 2011 at 13:53
Multiples Michael, theres lots of rows that have the same input fields, hence the square brackets. — Alex
– Alex, Commented Sep 28, 2011 at 13:55
Ah, there will be multiples, per your recent edit. How do you intend to store them in the database then? Doesn't look like you're using a one-to-many table relationship, but instead just putting them in flat. Are you expecting them to be comma-separated in the database? — Michael Berkowski
– Michael Berkowski, Commented Sep 28, 2011 at 13:56
No not comma separate, the insert will be done in a loop but can deal with that later. Just want to get the values at the moment please? — Alex
– Alex, Commented Sep 28, 2011 at 13:59

xdazz · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-28 13:42:24Z

1

Remove the [] of your text input, or you will get $value of array type.

<input type="text" name="txt-receipt-number" value="" />
<input type="text" name="txt-stock-number"  value="" />
<input type="text" name="txt-repair-code" value="" />

And don't forget to quote your values.

answered Sep 28, 2011 at 13:42

xdazz

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4 Comments

Alex Over a year ago

Thats the question, how to deal with it as arrays?

Jonnix Over a year ago

Why do you want to when it looks like you don't need to? Have you tried @xdazz suggestion? At the moment your use of form names and your programmatic implementation are not consistent.

Alex Over a year ago

There will be multiple rows of those inputs.

Jonnix Over a year ago

Then you need to add another loop within your current loop to get each of the the txt-* values.

N.B. · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-28 14:12:33Z

0

foreach($_POST as $field => $value)
{
    if(is_array($value))
    {
        foreach($value as $k => $val)
        {
            echo $val;
        }
    }
    else
    {
        echo $value;
    }
}

Works for regular fields and one-dimensional _POST fields.

answered Sep 28, 2011 at 14:12

N.B.

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2 Comments

Alex Over a year ago

The output for this is "ArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArrayArray"?

Alex Over a year ago

Sorry, some sanitizing had an undesired effect. For anyone wanting an answer the question in general, this is certainly a good way of doing it.

Michael Berkowski · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-28 14:09:57Z

0

You will have some other problems though, with column names like sales_receipt-number, etc. You should enclose those in backquotes, and you must also escape them since they are going directly into your SQL statement. They are just as vulnerable to SQL injection as the VALUES().

$fields[] = "`" . mysql_real_escape_string($field) . "`";

Update 2

To get the values and do the insert in a loop, the SQL needs to be reconstructed each time in the loop, using one set of array values.

// Find the number of loops necessary
// Unless all fields are always required, this will need to be the $_POST key with the most values
$numLoops = count($_POST['txt-receipt-number']);

fields = array();
$values = array();

for ($i = 0; $i < count($_POST); $i++) {
  foreach($_POST as $field => $value) {
     $fields[] = "`" . mysql_real_escape_string($field) . "`";
     $values[] = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST[$field][$i]);

     // Now build the SQL for this loop iteration.
     $sql = 'insert into table(' . join(',', $fields) . ') values(' . join(',', $values) . ')';
  }
}

edited Sep 28, 2011 at 14:09

answered Sep 28, 2011 at 13:41

Michael Berkowski

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4 Comments

binaryLV Over a year ago

There's another problem - with field name ending with [], $value will be an array of strings rather than plain string.

Alex Over a year ago

Sorry, not the issue, copy/pasted older code but thanks. See output.

Alex Over a year ago

Thats what Im asking for help with binaryLV please?

Alexander Olsson Over a year ago

Something to look into would be prepared statements Prepared statements for PDO

binaryLV · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-28 14:12:33Z

To be honest, I see many problems in this code...

Using foreach to build dynamic list of fields that need to be inserted. Don't you have, for example, anything like <input type='submit' name='add_data'/>? It's common to have submit buttons, and, with your code, you would try to edit DB table's field named add_data. This is also unsafe, as it (a) reveals table structure and (b) gives possibility to make SQL errors by manually changing field names, which may lead to another security/stability issues.
Lack of escaping field names. May lead to SQL injections.
Using - sign in field names. insert into table(sales_receipt-number, ... just won't work.

As for handling posted arrays...

<form method='post' action=''>
    <table border='1'>
        <tr>
            <td><input type='text' name='receipt_number[]'/></td>
            <td><input type='text' name='stock_number[]'/></td>
            <td><input type='text' name='repair_code[]'/></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><input type='text' name='receipt_number[]'/></td>
            <td><input type='text' name='stock_number[]'/></td>
            <td><input type='text' name='repair_code[]'/></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><input type='text' name='receipt_number[]'/></td>
            <td><input type='text' name='stock_number[]'/></td>
            <td><input type='text' name='repair_code[]'/></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td colspan='3'>
                <input type='submit' name='add_items'/>
           </td>
        </tr>
    </table>
</form>

<pre>
<?php

function handleAddingItem() {
    if ( !isset($_POST['receipt_number'], $_POST['stock_number'], $_POST['repair_code']) ) {
        trigger_error("Some field is undefined");
        return false;
    }
    if ( !is_array($_POST['receipt_number']) || !is_array($_POST['stock_number']) || !is_array($_POST['repair_code']) ) {
        trigger_error("Some field is not an array");
        return false;
    }
    $keys = array_keys($_POST['receipt_number']);
    if ( array_keys($_POST['stock_number']) !== $keys || array_keys($_POST['repair_code']) !== $keys ) {
        trigger_error("Posted arrays have different keys");
        return false;
    }
    foreach ( $keys as $key ) {
        if ( empty($_POST['receipt_number'][$key]) && empty($_POST['stock_number'][$key]) && empty($_POST['repair_code'][$key]) ) {
            continue;
        }
        $receiptNumber = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['receipt_number'][$key]);
        $stockNumber = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['stock_number'][$key]);
        $repairCode = mysql_real_escape_string($_POST['repair_code'][$key]);
        $sql = "
            insert into table_name set
                receipt_number = '{$receiptNumber}',
                stock_number   = '{$stockNumber}',
                repair_code    = '{$repairCode}'
        ";
        echo $sql;
    }
    return true;
}

function handlePost() {
    print_r($_POST);
    if ( isset($_POST['add_items']) ) {
        handleAddingItem();
    }
}

if ( $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'POST' ) {
    handlePost();
}


?>

Output:

Array
(
    [receipt_number] => Array
        (
            [0] => 123
            [1] => 
            [2] => 
        )

    [stock_number] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
            [1] => 
            [2] => 
        )

    [repair_code] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
            [1] => 
            [2] => 
        )

    [add_items] => Submit Query
)

            insert into table_name set
                receipt_number = '123',
                stock_number   = '',
                repair_code    = ''

Common practice might be to pass additional field - row's ID. If it has a value, then action is "edit", if it is empty, action is "create".

Dr Casper Black · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-28 15:08:28Z

This is a little bit strange but try it :

<?php
foreach($_POST['txt-receipt-number'] as $k=>$v){
   $array[$k]['txt-receipt-number']      =  $_POST['txt-receipt-number'][$k];
   $array[$k]['txt-stock-number']        =  $_POST['txt-stock-number'][$k];
   $array[$k]['txt-repair-code']         =  $_POST['txt-repair-code'][$k];

}
$fields = array();
$values = array();
foreach($array as $row) {
foreach($row as $field => $value) {
    $values[] = $value;
    $fields[] = $field;
}
}

var_dump($fields);
var_dump($values);

?>

<form method='post' action=''>
<input type="text" name="txt-receipt-number[]" value="" /><br>
<input type="text" name="txt-stock-number[]"  value="" /><br>
<input type="text" name="txt-repair-code[]" value="" /><br>
----

<input type="text" name="txt-receipt-number[]" value="" /><br>
<input type="text" name="txt-stock-number[]"  value="" /><br>
<input type="text" name="txt-repair-code[]" value="" /><br>
<input type="submit" value="go">

</form>

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