Multiple insert array POST values from foreach loop into mysql - php

Question

<table class="table table-bordered">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="col-md-2">First Name</th>
<th class="col-md-2">Last Name</th>
<th class="col-md-2">Present</th>
<th class="col-md-2">Absent</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<?php foreach($teacher_names as $name): ?>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="col-md-2"><input class="form-control" type="text" readonly="readonly" name="f_name" value="<?php echo $name['first_name']; ?>"></td>
<td class="col-md-2"><input class="form-control" type="text" readonly="readonly" name="l_name" value="<?php echo $name['last_name']; ?>"></td>
<td class="col-md-2"><input type="checkbox" name="present" value="Y"></td>
<td class="col-md-2"><input type="checkbox" name="absent" value="N"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
<?php endforeach;?>
</table>
I want to be able to access all values in my database which at the moment is 10. I want to get all the $_POST values and then insert them into the database but it seems i only get the one POST value in the foreach loop which is the last key value. An example of the php script is
public function teachers_attendance($first_name, $last_name, $present, $absent){
$sql = "INSERT INTO teacher_attendance($first_name, $last_name, $present, $absent)
VALUES(:first_name, :last_name, :present, :absent)";
$stmt = $this->_connection->prepare($sql);
$stmt->bindValue(':first_name', $first_name, PDO::PARAM_INT);
$stmt->bindValue(':last_name', $last_name, PDO::PARAM_STR);
$stmt->bindValue(':present', $present, PDO::PARAM_STR);
$stmt->bindValue(':absent', $absent, PDO::PARAM_STR);
$stmt->Execute();
$num_rows = $stmt->rowCount();
if($num_rows > 0){
echo "Yes";
}else{
echo "No";
}
}
I just would want to be able to access all the POST value and checkbox values into an array and then insert them all in the database. I would be grateful if i can have some solutions to this problem.

Answer 1

Since it didn't click with me the first time about un-matching keys when checkboxes are not selected, I've written up another method of accomplishing what you're after.
So your template should be as follows:
<table class="table table-bordered">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="col-md-2">First Name</th>
<th class="col-md-2">Last Name</th>
<th class="col-md-2">Present</th>
<th class="col-md-2">Absent</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<?php
$i = 0;
foreach($teacher_names as $name):
?>
<tr>
<td class="col-md-2"><input class="form-control" type="text" readonly="readonly" name="f_name_<?php echo $i; ?>" value="<?php echo $name['first_name']; ?>" /></td>
<td class="col-md-2"><input class="form-control" type="text" readonly="readonly" name="l_name_<?php echo $i; ?>" value="<?php echo $name['last_name']; ?>" /></td>
<td class="col-md-2"><input type="checkbox" name="present_<?php echo $i; ?>" value="Y" /></td>
<td class="col-md-2"><input type="checkbox" name="absent_<?php echo $i; ?>" value="N" /></td>
</tr>
<?php
$i++;
endforeach;
?>
</tbody>
</table>
Then you start at 0, add 1 each time, and loop until numbered name fields are no longer found (at which point it is assumed there are no more entries)
<?php
// First row to check is 0, as per template
$i = 0;
// Loop while f_name_* and l_name_* are found (if not found, it is assumed there are no more rows)
while( isset( $_POST['f_name_'.$i] ) && isset( $_POST['l_name_'.$i] ) )
{
// Get and set name variables (based on current row)
$first_name = $_POST['f_name_'.$i];
$last_name = $_POST['l_name_'.$i];
// Presence and absence are checkboxes with a Y value, so we'll set these to 'N' if not found
$present = ( isset( $_POST['present_'.$i] ) ? $_POST['present_'.$i] : 'N' );
$absent = ( isset( $_POST['absent_'.$i] ) ? $_POST['absent_'.$i] : 'N' );
// Call the teachers_attendance function
teachers_attendance($first_name, $last_name, $present, $absent);
// Increment the row to check
$i++;
}
?>