Expand an string based on values in an array in PHP - php

Question

I would like to expand a string with one or more values which come from an array.
Desired result:
http://example.com/search/key=["Start", "USA", "Minneapolis"]&shift=false
Array:
array(2) {
[0]=>
string(8) "USA"
[1]=>
string(4) "Minneapolis"
}
PHP Code:
$myArr = ("USA", "Minneapolis");
$string = 'http://example.com/search/key=["Start",' .$myArr[0]. ']&shift=false';
Gives me this result: http://example.com/search/key=["Start", "USA"]&shift=false
How can I make it more dynamic so that more than one value can be added? I know I somehow have to use a foreach($myArr as $i){...} and concatenate the values via $string += but because my variable is in the middle of the string I'm kinda stuck with this approach.

Answer 1

Try the following:
$myArr = array("USA", "Minneapolis");
$string = 'http://example.com/search/key=["Start", "' . implode('", "', $myArr) . '"]&shift=false';
This will provide the expected output using implode.

Answer 2

Something isn't right here. You are trying to pass array data through a querystring but not in a valid array structure. This means you are either not using it as an array on the next script and you are going to having to chop and hack at it when the data gets there.
I'll make the assumption that you would like to clean up your process...
Declare an array of all of the data that you want to pass through the url's query string, then merge the new key values into that subarray. Finally, use http_build_query() to do ALL of the work of formatting/urlencoding everything then append that generated string after the ? in your url. This is THE clean, stable way to do it.
Code: (Demo)
$myArr = ["USA", "Minneapolis", "monkey=wren[h"];
$data = [
'key' => [
'Start'
],
'shift' => 'false'
];
$data['key'] = array_merge($data['key'], $myArr);
$url = 'http://example.com/search/?' . http_build_query($data);
echo "$url\n---\n";
echo urldecode($url);
Output:
http://example.com/search/?key%5B0%5D=Start&key%5B1%5D=USA&key%5B2%5D=Minneapolis&key%5B3%5D=monkey%3Dwren%5Bh&shift=false
---
http://example.com/search/?key[0]=Start&key[1]=USA&key[2]=Minneapolis&key[3]=monkey=wren[h&shift=false
*the decoded string is just to help you to visualize the output.
Then on your receiving page, you can simply and professionally access the $_GET['key'] and $_GET['shift'] data.
If you have a legitimate reason to use your original malformed syntax, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, please use my method for the sake of clean, valid web development.