PHP explode and sort - php

Question

I need to sort an exploded string to write into database.
With the code down below it works, but I was not able to detect the summary of arrays outside the foreach loop.
So $terms[0].$terms[1].$terms[2] was not correct.
Cause as example $terms[0].$terms[1].$terms[2].$terms[3] was required for 4 terms in string.
How could that be solved?
$terms = explode(";", "banana;apple;lemon");
sort($terms);
$length = count($terms);
for($x = 0; $x < $length; $x++) {
$terms[$x] = $terms[$x].'; ';
}
$sorted_terms = $terms[0].$terms[1].$terms[2]; // <<< should changed dynamically
$sql = mysqli_query($dbcon,"INSERT INTO mydatabase (terms) VALUES ('$sorted_terms')");

Answer 1

Use PHP implode which is an exact opposite of explode and intended for just this sort of thing.
$terms = explode(";", "banana;apple;lemon");
sort($terms);
$sorted_terms = implode(";", $terms);
//$sorted_terms = "apple;banana;lemon";
Edit:
As you're using procedural MySQLi for your data entry you should also use mysqli_real_escape_string to limit SQL injection into your database. I know it may not apply to your current work but it's best practise to get into - short of actually using Prepared Statements.
so:
$sql = mysqli_query($dbcon,"INSERT INTO mydatabase (terms)
VALUES ('".mysqli_real_escape_string($dbcon, $sorted_terms)."')");
Using Prepared Statements instead is very highly recommended.

Answer 2

Simply use string concatenation.
Use $terms1 as string in for loop.
$terms1 = "";
$terms = explode(";", "banana;apple;lemon");
sort($terms);
$length = count($terms);
for($x = 0; $x < $length; $x++) {
$terms1 .= $terms[$x].'; ';
}
//$sorted_terms = $terms[0].$terms[1].$terms[2];
//$sql = mysqli_query($dbcon,"INSERT INTO mydatabase (terms) VALUES ('$sorted_terms')");
$sql = mysqli_query($dbcon,"INSERT INTO mydatabase (terms) VALUES ('$terms1')");

Answer 3

Try $sorted_terms = implode(';', $terms);
http://php.net/manual/en/function.implode.php