php array woes when parsing a string

Question

I'm looping through an array of strings in PHP. Specifically, I'm looking for double dots in each array row (..). If no dots are found, the entire row is appended to a second array row. If it is found, then I split the row, put the left half in the current (second) array row, and the right half in the next row.

This is what I have so far:

$fudgedindex = 0;
$parsedrows = array('');

foreach($refinedlist as $rowtoparse)
{
    $pos2 = strpos($rowtoparse, "..");

    //echo $refinedlist[$index] . "<br>";
    if ($pos2 === false)
    {
        $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] . $rowtoparse;
    }
    else
    {
        $length = strlen($rowtoparse);
        $partialleft = substr($rowtoparse, 0, $pos2);
        $partialright = substr($rowtoparse, $pos2);
        $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] . $partialleft;
        $fudgedindex = $fudgedindex + 1;
        $parsedrows = '';

        $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] . $partialright;
    }
}

I keep getting undefined index after I increment $fudgedindex.

It's been a while since I've been on PHP, and I get the feeling that I'm either overthinking this and being a bit too procedural, or doing a head-slap error.

Any help appreciated! And once again, thanks for taking the time to help. =)

EDIT: Per the comments, here's what I'm aiming for...

$refinedlist[0]="Today I bought milk..Then I went to the "
[1]="store and bought even more food "
[2]="such as apples..I was happy..Then"
[3]=" I went to stackoverflow.com and asked this question "
[4]="to solve my problem.."

Result should be:

$parsedrows[0]="Today I bought milk"
[1]="Then I went to the store and bought even more food such as apples"
[2]="I was happy."
[3]="Then I went to stackoverflow.com and asked this question to solve my problem"

EDIT 2: The error is gone, so the initial issue is fixed. However, when I run this after:

foreach($parsedrows as $rowtoprint)
{
    echo $rowtoprint . "<br>";
}

Only the last row shows up.

Can you give an example of 3-5 values in $refinedlist and expected outcome of $parsedrows? — OIS
– OIS, Commented Jul 8, 2015 at 20:46
mseifert already aswered your querstion. So there's time to ask the question behind your current problem: What's the source of $refinedlist? — VolkerK
– VolkerK, Commented Jul 8, 2015 at 20:56
The initial question, yes (and thanks!). I added a second edit for the final $parsedrows error I'm getting. — The One Rob
– The One Rob, Commented Jul 9, 2015 at 16:43
See my updated answer to address your edit. It needs one more fix to handle when there are two .. in a line. Working on it. — mseifert
– mseifert, Commented Jul 9, 2015 at 18:03

mseifert · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-09 18:35:36Z

1

Your problem is with

    $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] . $partialright;

You've increased $fudgedindex and are setting a new array element with this statement. Yet you are also referencing this new element (the right side of the =) which doesn't exist yet - hense the error.

You should just say

    $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = $partialright;

since it is the beginning of the next row.

Your second problem starts with noticing you are reinitializing $parsedrows and wiping out all your previous array elements. You need to remove $parsedrows = '';

However, because you can have a line with more than one "..", you need to include a loop to process each line until it is done. I had to rewrite the whole thing to accomplish this. This produces the result you want

<?php

$refinedlist[0]="Today I bought milk..Then I went to the ";
$refinedlist[1]="store and bought even more food ";
$refinedlist[2]="such as apples..I was happy..Then";
$refinedlist[3]=" I went to stackoverflow.com and asked this question ";
$refinedlist[4]="to solve my problem..";

$fudgedindex = 0;
$parsedrows = array('');

foreach($refinedlist as $rowtoparse)   
{
    while (($pos2 = strpos($rowtoparse, "..")) !== false)
    {
        $length = strlen($rowtoparse);
        $partialleft = substr($rowtoparse, 0, $pos2);

        // keep what is not yet processed in the original var
        // while loop will process again
        $rowtoparse = substr($rowtoparse, $pos2 + 2);

        // add to current row
        $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] . $partialleft;

        // increment the row & initialize
        $fudgedindex += 1;
        $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = "";
    }

    // add whatever is left to the current row
    $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] = $parsedrows[$fudgedindex] . $rowtoparse;
}

foreach($parsedrows as $rowtoprint)
{
    echo $rowtoprint . "<br>";
}

This produces (without the highlighting):

Today I bought milk
Then I went to the store and bought even more food such as apples
I was happy
Then I went to stackoverflow.com and asked this question to solve my problem

edited Jul 9, 2015 at 18:35

answered Jul 8, 2015 at 20:33

mseifert

5,7009 gold badges45 silver badges105 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

OIS Over a year ago

Also the code only increases fudgedindex if the line contains .. after the partialleft is added, not before adding a line without ...

The One Rob Over a year ago

@OIS: That's by design. See my edits for more information.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

php array woes when parsing a string

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related