Arrays in Loops

[syn3rgy]

As I have been going through the tutorials, I wanted to try and use what I'm learning.I came across the need to export values from an XML file to a CSV file. Looking at examples in the PHP manual and trying to use what I have been learning I have started the script.

 

The XML layout looks like this:

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<form>
<title><![CDATA[submit Directory Profile Information]]></title>
<submissions>
<submission>
<name><![CDATA[Joe Mama]]></name>
<email><![CDATA[enter@here.com]]></email>
<address><![CDATA[1234 there]]></address>
<city><![CDATA[Thereville]]></city>
<state><![CDATA[iL]]></state>
<zip>55566</zip>
<phone><![CDATA[555-555-1234 x1234]]></phone>
<fax><![CDATA[555-555-5678]]></fax>
<website><![CDATA[http://]]></website>
</submission>
<submission>
<name><![CDATA[Test Item]]></name>
<email><![CDATA[enter@here.com]]></email>
<address><![CDATA[1234 there]]></address>
<city><![CDATA[Thereville]]></city>
<state><![CDATA[iL]]></state>
<zip>55566</zip>
<phone><![CDATA[555-555-1234 x1234]]></phone>
<fax><![CDATA[555-555-5678]]></fax>
<website><![CDATA[http://]]></website>
</submission>
</submissions>
</form>

 

The beginning of my code looks like this:

 

$file = "mystuff.xml";

$xml = simplexml_load_file($file);

//get data from XML tags

foreach($xml->submissions->submission as $item)
{
//store those in array
$basic = array(
	"name" => (string)$item->name,
	"email" => (string)$item->email,
	"address" => (string)$item->address,
	"city" => (string)$item->city,
	"state" => (string)$item->state,
	"zip" => (string)$item->zip,
	"phone" => (string)$item->phone,
	"fax" => (string)$item->fax,
	"website" => (string)$item->website
);

 

Not very far and my first problem appears. I understand why it happens I just don't know how to fix it. For every foreach loop the result will just overwrite the the first one. So if I vardump outside the loop you get one submission, not both. I'm stuck because I can't figure out how to get the results from each loop outside the loop, if that makes sense. Either its not very easy to do, or I am just missing something simple, either way if I can get some help with that I can move one to the next part.

 

Thanks for the time,

benjmain

[falkencreative]

The solution is to use a 2D array -- an array that contains multiple arrays. For example, the first set of values would be:

 

$basic[0]["name"]

$basic[0]["email"]

...etc

 

and the second record would be

 

$basic[1]["name"]

$basic[1]["email"]

...etc

 

You would need to create a temporary variable that started at "0" and 1 was added to the value every time PHP loops through the foreach array (I'll call it $i for the sake of this example.) With that in place, you could do something like this:

 

$basic[$i]["name"] = (string)$item->name;

$basic[$i]["email"] = (string)$item->email;

...etc

 

Do a Google search or two on "2d arrays" if you're having trouble. I can put together a basic example a bit later today when I have the time.

 

This site has a bit more about 2D arrays (near the bottom of the page): http://www.learnphp-tutorial.com/Arrays.cfm

[syn3rgy]

Wow doh!

 

I have no idea why I didn't think of laying out the array that way.

 

This is what I have now:

 

$file = "rsform.xml";

$xml = simplexml_load_file($file);

$i = 0;

//get data from XML tags

foreach($xml->submissions->submission as $item)
{
//store those in array for later
$basic[$i]["name"] = (string)$item->name;
$basic[$i]["email"] = (string)$item->email;
$basic[$i]["address"] = (string)$item->address;
$basic[$i]["city"] = (string)$item->city;
$basic[$i]["state"] = (string)$item->state;
$basic[$i]["zip"] = (string)$item->zip;
$basic[$i]["phone"] = (string)$item->phone;
$basic[$i]["fax"] = (string)$item->fax;
$basic[$i]["website"] = (string)$item->website;

//increment the index
++$i;

}
var_dump($basic);

 

Which of course dumps an array with an array inside at index 0 and 1.

 

array(2) { [0]=> array(9) { ["name"]=> string(8) "Joe Mama" ["email"]=> string(14) "enter@here.com" ["address"]=> string(10) "1234 there" ["city"]=> string(10) "Thereville" ["state"]=> string(2) "IL" ["zip"]=> string(5) "55566" ["phone"]=> string(18) "555-555-1234 x1234" ["fax"]=> string(12) "555-555-5678" ["website"]=> string(7) "http://" } [1]=> array(9) { ["name"]=> string(9) "Test Item" ["email"]=> string(14) "enter@here.com" ["address"]=> string(10) "1234 there" ["city"]=> string(10) "Thereville" ["state"]=> string(2) "IL" ["zip"]=> string(5) "55566" ["phone"]=> string(18) "555-555-1234 x1234" ["fax"]=> string(12) "555-555-5678" ["website"]=> string(7) "http://" } }

 

Again thanks, I will continue on my script and post back if I need more help. A week into PHP and its already beating me up!

 

The solution is to use a 2D array -- an array that contains multiple arrays. For example, the first set of values would be:

 

$basic[0]["name"]

$basic[0]["email"]

...etc

 

and the second record would be

 

$basic[1]["name"]

$basic[1]["email"]

...etc

 

You would need to create a temporary variable that started at "0" and 1 was added to the value every time PHP loops through the foreach array (I'll call it $i for the sake of this example.) With that in place, you could do something like this:

 

$basic[$i]["name"] = (string)$item->name;

$basic[$i]["email"] = (string)$item->email;

...etc

 

Do a Google search or two on "2d arrays" if you're having trouble. I can put together a basic example a bit later today when I have the time.

 

This site has a bit more about 2D arrays (near the bottom of the page): http://www.learnphp-tutorial.com/Arrays.cfm