Any idea how to make this loop - php

Question

I need to create a loop like this via PHP ( a WordPress WP_Query ) ,
it's like one large item then two small items and then two small items again , and then , one large item and so on...
Here's the plain HTML :
<div class="swiper-slide big">
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
<div class="swiper-slide normal">
<div class="item"></div>
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
<div class="swiper-slide normal">
<div class="item"></div>
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
<div class="swiper-slide big">
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
<div class="swiper-slide normal">
<div class="item"></div>
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
<div class="swiper-slide normal">
<div class="item"></div>
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
<div class="swiper-slide big">
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
The <div.item>s are post elements.
I couldn't find any pattern to make such loop , one option is to use a counter and compare each number , but it's not a stable way to do this.
could anyone help please.
f.n : the .swiper-slide DIVs are just wrappers , every time the loop runs , we only have a <div.item> and we need to group these .items with the pattern i explained above.

Answer 1

Instead of using a "counter", you could use a modulo equation.
In your example, there are 3 rules we can apply:
One big, then four small
The first and third small start a new parent div
The second and fourth small end the parent div
Assuming that your posts are in an array, with numbered keys, you can use this:
foreach ($itemArray as $key => $item) {
$modulo = ($key+1)%5;
switch($modulo) {
case 1:
echo <<<END
<div class="swiper-slide big">
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
END;
break;
case 2:
case 4:
echo <<<END
<div class="swiper-slide normal">
<div class="item"></div>
END;
break;
case 3:
case 0:
echo <<<END
<div class="item"></div>
</div>
END;
break;
}
}
//Closing possible open div
$arrCountModulo=count($itemArray)%5;
if($arrCountModulo==2||$arrCountModulo==4) {
echo "</div>";
}

Answer 2

Here is an updated example where you pass the items as an array :
<?php
function myloop($items) {
$i = 0;
$isBig = array( true, false, false);
while(sizeof($items) > 0) {
if($isBig[$i]) {
echo "Big ! ", array_shift($items);
echo " \n";
} else {
echo "Normal... ", array_shift($items), " ", array_shift($items);
echo " \n";
}
$i = ( $i + 1) % sizeof($isBig);
}
}
myloop(array("item1","item2","item3","item4","item5","item6","item7","item8","item9","item10"));
?>
Cli output :
$ php loop.php
Big ! item1
Normal... item2 item3
Normal... item4 item5
Big ! item6
Normal... item7 item8
Normal... item9 item10

Answer 3

Use a counter variable(for this example, $i) to track how many div sections are printed. Your code should be like this:
Edited:
Based on your requirement, I've updated my answer.
$itemArray = array("a","b","c","d","e","f","g","h","i","j","k","l","m","n","o","p","q");
$arrLength = count($itemArray);
for($i = 0; $i < $arrLength; ++$i){
if($i % 3 == 0){
if($i != 0){
?>
</div>
<?php
}
?>
<div class="swiper-slide big">
<div class="item"><?php echo $itemArray[$i]; ?></div>
</div>
<div class="swiper-slide normal">
<?php
}else{
?>
<div class="item"><?php echo $itemArray[$i]; ?></div>
<?php
}
}

Answer 4

Try this:
$bignormal = 0;
for ($i=0;$i<$whatever;$i++) {
if ($bignormal>0) {
echo "normal";
}
else {
echo "big";
}
$bignormal++;
if ($bignormal>2) {
$bignormal = 0;
}
}
Not the greatest piece of code in the world, but it works.
Explaination:
$bignormal is (by default) set to 0. $bignormal is thus not greater than 0, so we echo big and increment $bignormal.
Next iteration, $bignormal is 1, thus being greater than 0 so we echo normal and increment $bignormal.
Next iteration, $bignormal is 2, and thus is greater than 0 so we echo normal. However, when we increment $bignormal it is now greater than 2 (with a value of 3), so the final if statement sets $bignormal to 0.
Next iteration $bignormal is set to 0, so thus it's not greater than 0, so thus we echo big and increment $bignormal yet again.
Etc.
In conclusion...
Nothing that complicated, and could probably be compacted down heaps with some better logic :D