Data read and output with a loop - php

Question

I make an event list with a maximum of 4 events, saved in its own jason files.
I wrote this code for the output.
JSON:
{"field1":"new york","field2":"1553404200","field3":1554415200}
CODE:
$jsonA = file_get_contents('code/data1.json');
$fieldsA = json_decode($jsonA, true);
$cityA = $fieldsA["field1"];
$dateStartA = $fieldsA["field2"];
$dateEndA = $fieldsA["field3"];
$jsonB = file_get_contents('code/data2.json');
$fieldsB = json_decode($jsonB, true);
$cityB = $fieldsB["field1"];
$dateStartB = $fieldsB["field2"];
$dateEndB = $fieldsB["field3"];
<div><?php echo $cityA . $dateStartA . " - " . $dateEndA?></div>
<div><?php echo $cityB . $dateStartB . " - " . $dateEndB?></div>
The problem is:
I have 4 events with each start and end date. So I have to do the same 8 times, but I do not want and should copy this code 8 times with a higher variable name...
In my project I have 13 fields and also 2 arrays to output the day and month name in my language. That's why it's so important not to copy everything 8 times.
I need a loop, but I do not know exactly how. I'm an absolute beginner, so please as simple as possible.

Answer 1

Great job with your attempt!
You might just want to write a foreach and read your files and store it in an array.
In your local server, you might just want to find the absolute path to your code folder. If you open your terminal, and CTRL+C code directory and CTRL+V in your terminal, you might see what your absolute path may look like. Then, paste upto before code directory in $server_path. Then, run the code, hopefully it would work.
function searchFilenames($array, $re)
{
return preg_grep('/' . preg_quote($re, '/') . '/i', $array);
}
$server_path = '/path/to/your/localserver/';
$dir = $server_path . 'code';
$filename_array = searchFilenames(glob($dir . "/*"), 'data');
$fields = array();
foreach ($filename_array as $key => $filename) {
$jsonA = file_get_contents($filename);
$values = json_decode($jsonA, true);
$fields[$key]["city"] = $values["field1"];
$fields[$key]["dateStart"] = $values["field2"];
$fields[$key]["dateEnd"] = $values["field3"];
}
var_dump($fields);
Output
array(8) {
[0]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(8) "new york"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
[1]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(6) "boston"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
[2]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(7) "chicago"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
[3]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(13) "washington dc"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
[4]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(5) "miami"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
[5]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(10) "los angles"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
[6]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(7) "seattle"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
[7]=>
array(3) {
["city"]=>
string(6) "austin"
["dateStart"]=>
string(10) "1553404200"
["dateEnd"]=>
int(1554415200)
}
}