How to loop data from multidimensional arrays in PHP and inject it into HTML

Question

I'm fairly new to PHP and still struggling with the simplest of tasks. I have searched the internet but could not find or figure out the right solution.

Let's say that I've got two pages: one is index.php, where I want to display a list of hyperlinks and names of respective pages those links lead to. The other is functions.php, where I've stored an array containing my links and titles. Also, I'm aware that arrays could be stored in a better place than functions.php, but that's beside the point, for now.

This is my HTML on the index.php page:

<ul class="row">

<li class="col-6 col-lg-4">
  <a class="hyperlink" href="<?php echo $pageitem['link'] ?>">
    <div class="page-item">
      <**SVG icon goes here, disregard**>
      <span><?php echo $pageitem['title'] ?></span>
    </div>
  </a>
</li>

<li class="col-6 col-lg-4">
  <a class="hyperlink" href="<?php echo $pageitem['link'] ?>">
    <div class="page-item">
      <**SVG icon goes here, disregard**>
      <span><?php echo $pageitem['title'] ?></span>
    </div>
  </a>
</li>

<li class="col-6 col-lg-4">
  <a class="hyperlink" href="<?php echo $pageitem['link'] ?>">
    <div class="page-item">
      <**SVG icon goes here, disregard**>
      <span><?php echo $pageitem['title'] ?></span>
    </div>
  </a>
</li>

</ul>

This is my array:

$pageitems = array (
  array('link' => 'https://website-one.com', 'title' => 'Website 1'),
  array('link' => 'https://website-two.com', 'title' => 'Website 2'),
  array('link' => 'https://website-three.com', 'title' => 'Website 3'),
);

And this is my function that I hoped would loop through each sub-array and display the link and title in the page items on the index.php page:

$i = 0;

foreach ( $pageitems as $pageitem ) {
  $i++;
  foreach ( $pageitem as $key => $value )
  {
  return $pageitem['link'];
  return $pageitem['title'];
  }
}

But no - it only repeats the first link and title pair (website-one.com, Website 1) on every page item on the index page, like the loop gets stuck after the first iteration.

returning $pageitem makes no sense, the code in the function is not being called, the html needs to go inside you foreach, and you actually just need one of those to do what you want — Jonathan DS
– Jonathan DS, Commented May 6, 2020 at 20:39
By doing a return (return $pageitem['link'];) you return from the function you're inside, not just the for-loop. That's why it gets stuck in the first iteration. — bestprogrammerintheworld
– bestprogrammerintheworld, Commented May 6, 2020 at 22:09

Felippe Duarte · Accepted Answer · 2020-05-06 20:40:28Z

1

I guess you have to iterate the array you have and put the li inside a foreach loop, like this:

<ul class="row">

<?php
    $pageitems = array (
        array('link' => 'https://website-one.com', 'title' => 'Website 1'),
        array('link' => 'https://website-two.com', 'title' => 'Website 2'),
        array('link' => 'https://website-three.com', 'title' => 'Website 3'),
    );

    foreach ($pageitems as $pageitem) {
?>

<li class="col-6 col-lg-4">
  <a class="hyperlink" href="<?php echo $pageitem['link'] ?>">
    <div class="page-item">
      <**SVG icon goes here, disregard**>
      <span><?php echo $pageitem['title'] ?></span>
    </div>
  </a>
</li>

<?php
    }
?>
</ul>

If it's better for you to have the $pageitems in a different file, you can use include('function.php'); any point before the foreach loop.

answered May 6, 2020 at 20:40

Felippe Duarte

15.2k2 gold badges27 silver badges29 bronze badges

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

1 Comment

halfer Over a year ago

This answer may replicate the (potential) XSS vulns the OP has in their work. It may be worth making a note of this sort of thing in answers when you spot it, so as to alert the OP to something that might get their site hacked.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to loop data from multidimensional arrays in PHP and inject it into HTML

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related