help getting variables from an array

[direwolf]

I have a array of data that is generated from another software program. The array has arrays inside of it and looks like this.

[CONTROL] => Array ( 

[0] => Array ( [ID] => Name_First [CAPTION] => First Name: [value] => Joe ) 
[1] => Array ( [ID] => Name_Last [CAPTION] => Last Name:    [value] => Blogs ) 
[2] => Array ( [ID] => Street [CAPTION] => Street: [value] => 1 Some St ) 
[3] => Array ( [ID] => PostalCode [CAPTION] => Post Code: [value] => 1234 ) 
[4] => Array ( [ID] => City [CAPTION] => City: [value] => Mytown ) 
[5] => Array ( [ID] => Online_Email [CAPTION] => Email: [value] => [email]me@me.net[/email] ) 
[6] => Array ( [ID] => Phone_Number [CAPTION] => Ph: [value] => 1234 ) 
) 

I can currently get the variables for the array by using this (The array is inside of a datastring $data):

$Fname_label = "" . $data["CONTROL"][0]["CAPTION"];
$Fname = "" . $data["CONTROL"][0]["value"];

$Lname_label = "" . $data["CONTROL"][1]["CAPTION"];
$Lname = "" . $data["CONTROL"][1]["value"];

$street_label = "" . $data["CONTROL"][2]["CAPTION"];
$street = "" . $data["CONTROL"][2]["value"];

$post_label = "" . $data["CONTROL"][3]["CAPTION"];
$post = "" . $data["CONTROL"][3]["value"];

$city_label = "" . $data["CONTROL"][4]["CAPTION"];
$city = "" . $data["CONTROL"][4]["value"];

$email_label = "" . $data["CONTROL"][5]["CAPTION"];
$email = "" . $data["CONTROL"][5]["value"];

$phone_label = "" . $data["CONTROL"][6]["CAPTION"];
$phone = "" . $data["CONTROL"][6]["value"]; 

The problem I am having is that the sometimes not all of the values will be used in the array and at other times more will be added (upto 30 in the real code)

This means thats the way I am assigning the variables wont work because the array with the email data in in may be in array [4] or it may be in array [17] or any other number.

My question is - How can I match the data up to the right variables from the array?

[pootergeist]

I'd try to rewrite the files personally as you will get quite process intense if you have to scan the entire file each time you are looking for something.

Anyway, you could extract each index and check the value of named subindices....

$array_count = count($data['control']);
$stepp = -1;
while(++$stepp < $array_count)
{
extract($data['control'][$array_count];
if($caption == "Email")
{
$the_email_address = $value;
}
}

Fly typed and will be case insensitive to what you need. Should get the idea across anyway

[direwolf]

ok to cover each different one I could do this and the variables will be assigned to be used later?

$array_count = count($data['control']);
$stepp = -1;
while(++$stepp < $array_count)
{
extract($data['control'][$array_count];

    if($id == "Name_First"){
        $Fname_label = $caption;
        $Fname = $value
        }
    if($id == "Name_Last"){
        $Lname_label = $caption;
        $Lname = $value
        }
    if($id == "Street"){
        $street_label = $caption;
        $street = $value
        }
    if($id == "PostalCode"){
        $post_label = $caption;
        $post = $value
        }
    if($id == "City"){
        $city_label = $caption;
        $city = $value
        }
    if($id == "PostalCode"){
        $post_label = $caption;
        $post = $value
        }
    if($id == "Online_Email"){
        $email_label = $caption;
        $email = $value
        }
    if($id == "Phone_Number"){
        $phone_label = $caption;
        $phone = $value
        }
} 

[Cam]

Use a switch() statement.

switch ( $id )
{
   case 'Name_First':
        $Fname_label = $caption;
        $Fname = $value;
        break;
   case 'Name_Last':
        // you get the idea
        break;
} 

[direwolf]

ahhh ok so the switch statement is better?

I take it I would still nee to use this code to count through the array?

$array_count = count($data['control']);
$stepp = -1;
while(++$stepp < $array_count)
{
extract($data['control'][$array_count];

// Then the switch statement goes here
switch ( $id )
{
   case 'Name_First':
        $Fname_label = $caption;
        $Fname = $value;
        break;
   case 'Name_Last':
        // you get the idea
        break;
} 

[direwolf]

Ok I have mad up a dummy array which resembles some of the data in the real array.

I have tried putting in the count code as posted above and I get

Parse error: parse error, unexpected $ in /var/www/virtual/qoc.lan/test.php on line 46

<?php

$data =
array ( order => 
        array(standardctrls => 
                array(txtcontrol => 
                        array( 1 =>
                        "array([id]=>Name_First,[caption]=>Firstname:,[value]=>Joe)",     
                        "array([id]=>Name_Last,[caption]=>Lastname:,[value]=>Bloggs')",
                        "array([id]=>Street,[caption]=>Street:,[value]=>1 My Street)"
                        )
                    )
            )
    );


$array_count = count($data['order'][0]['standardctrls'][0]['txtcontrol']);
$stepp = -1;
while(++$stepp < $array_count)
{
extract($data['order'][0]['standardctrls'][0]['txtcontrol'][$array_count]);

switch ( $id )
{
   case 'Name_First':
        $Fname_label = $caption;
        $Fname = $value;
        break;
   case 'Name_Last':
        $Lname_label = $caption;
        $Lname = $value;
        break;
   case 'Street':
        $street_label = $caption;
        $street = $value;
        break;
}

echo "$firstnamelbl $firstname <br>"
        ."$Lname_label $Lname <br>"
        ."$street_label $street";

?>

Anyone have any ideas?

[KillaByte]

Your WHILE-Loop isn't closed

while(++$stepp < $array_count)
{
extract($data['order'][0]['standardctrls'][0]['txtcontrol'][$array_count]); 

[direwolf]

ahhh thanks, that fixed the error.

Now to the code itself, as it does not assign the values from the array to the variables.

I think the problem starts with the array count.

$array_count = count($data['order'][0]['standardctrls'][0]['txtcontrol']);

echo $array_count;
?> 

returns 0

why doesn't it count the three arrays in ['txtcontrol']?

[Siddhartha]

no! it starts with $data's initialization!

you should enclose all key identifiers in quotes! else it is treated like constants and have value of 0!

array ( order => ...) is the same as (0=>...) if order is not set.

it returns 0 because you have 2 different variables $a[txtcontrol] and $a['txtcontrol'] .
first one you'd set as $a[0] and have 3 values, but second you'd never set and have 0 values.

$a[txtcontrol] == $a[0] != $a['txtcontrol']