How to process variable data within PHP foreach loops - php

Question

I am working with PHP 5.6.30 within a WordPress theme. I'm in progress in learning more about foreach loops.
The following is my original code example...
$acf_opt01 = "it_development_projects";
$acf_opt01_field = get_field_object($acf_opt01);
echo '<h4>' . $acf_opt01_field['label'] . '</h4>';
echo $acf_opt01_field['value'];
$acf_opt02 = "it_enhancements";
$acf_opt02_field = get_field_object($acf_opt02);
echo '<h4>' . $acf_opt02_field['label'] . '</h4>';
echo $acf_opt02_field['value'];
..and this is my optimized version so far...
$array_acf_names = array(
'it_development_projects',
'it_enhancements'
);
foreach($array_acf_names as $key=>$acfname) {
//What more should I do here to finish the logic...I'm not sure what to do about $acf_opt01_field, or if its needed.
//get_field_object($acfname);
}
I'm not sure how variables are handled within foreach loops when concatenated with a $key or if there is a better way then that to go about finishing this process. What's a recommendation in finishing this small exercise within the foreach loop so that it produces the same results as my original statements.
Many Thanks!

Answer 1

Like this,
$array_acf_names = array(
'it_development_projects',
'it_enhancements'
);
foreach($array_acf_names as $key=>$acfname) {
$acf_field = get_field_object(acfname);
echo '<h4>' . $acf_field['label'] . '</h4>';
echo $acf_field['value'];
}
I am not sure what you mean by this I'm not sure how variables are handled within foreach loops when concatenated with a $key as you really don't need the key.
Let's compare your original to the loop above
$acf_opt01 = "it_development_projects";
$acf_opt01_field = get_field_object($acf_opt01);
echo '<h4>' . $acf_opt01_field['label'] . '</h4>';
echo $acf_opt01_field['value'];
$acf_opt02 = "it_enhancements";
$acf_opt02_field = get_field_object($acf_opt02);
echo '<h4>' . $acf_opt02_field['label'] . '</h4>';
echo $acf_opt02_field['value'];
In your original $acf_opt01 = "it_development_projects" this string is now in the array you loop over, so the way you have it, it is the $acfname variable now.
On the first iteration
$acfname = $acf_opt01 = "it_development_projects".
Then there is no need to create an extra variable for it, so we can just put it right in get_field_object() function. Then we just make the other variables we need to create a bit more generic. $acf_field instead of $acf_opt01_field or $acf_opt02_field, and then just output the HTML stuff.
Then on the second iteration
$acfname = $acf_opt02 = "it_enhancements", and then the rest is pretty much the same.
As you can see you can do the loop without the $key=> part. However it doesn't really hurt anything to have it in there either.

Answer 2

The main difference with my answer is that it sets up an array ($fieldObjs) that can be accessed partially or fully after it is initially loaded. This lets you prepare it initially, and use it down the page - or you could even json_encode() the field objects array, and use it with Javascript to create the field objects on the page when needed, instead of with PHP all at once in beginning :)
Either way, this should solve your issue. The first version is the bare minimum echos that you have, and the second parts show you the array storage of field objects :)
<?php
$array_acf_names = array(
'it_development_projects',
'it_enhancements'
);
foreach($array_acf_names as $acfName) {
$fieldObj = get_field_object($acfName);
echo "<h4>{$fieldObj['label']}</h4>
{$fieldObj['value']}";
}
?>
It should also be noted that for() loops are faster...
<?php
$array_acf_names = array(
'it_development_projects',
'it_enhancements'
);
$numAcf = count($array_acf_names);
for($acfLoop = 0; $acfLoop < $numAcf; $acfLoop++){
$fieldObj = get_field_object($acfName);
echo "<h4>{$fieldObj['label']}</h4>
{$fieldObj['value']}";
}
?>
Here is the code that stores this data in case you need it later :)
<?php
$array_acf_names = array(
'it_development_projects',
'it_enhancements'
);
$fieldObjs = array();
foreach($array_acf_names as $acfName) {
$fieldObjs[$acfName] = get_field_object($acfName);
}
print_r($fieldObjs); // look at this and then you can look at how to declare vars
// example...
// echo $fieldObjs["it_enhancements"]["label"];
?>
I believe this should work for you. It creates an array of all the field objects once you loop through them so you can access parts of each, or all of them :)

Answer 3

So there is no real point in having key in your foreach loop as your wont use it and no real point to having the var assigning if you aren't using it outside of the loop
$array_acf_names = array(
'it_development_projects',
'it_enhancements'
);
foreach($array_acf_names as $acfname) {
$acf_field = get_field_object($acfname);
echo '<h4>' . $acf_field['label'] . '</h4>';
echo $acf_field['value'];
}

Answer 4

When you use a foreach in a bidimensional array, the value before 'as' going to get the value from each position of the array, maybe this code is helpfully
<?php
$array_acf_names = array(
'it_development_projects',
'it_enhancements'
);
$cont=0;
foreach($array_acf_names as $key) { //$key get the value from each value of the array (if the array is bidimensional)
echo '<h4>'.$key.'</h4>';
echo $cont; //print the 'position' of the array
$cont++;
}
?>