Getting variables from SQL Server for mPDF - php

Question

I'm using the mPDF class to output a pdf of data from a PHP file. I need to loop through a SQL Server query, save as new variables and write into the $html so it can be outputted to the pdf. I can't place it in the WriteHTML function because it does not recognize PHP code. I need the contents of the whole array so I can't just print one variable.
I have two files:
pdf-test.php:
This file gathers session variables from other php files that are included and reassigns them, so I can use them in the $html.
<?php
// Include files
require_once("form.php");
require_once("configuration.php");
session_start();
$html = '
<h3> Form A </h3>
<div>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th colspan="3">1. Contact Information</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tr>
<td> First Name: </td>
<td> Last Name: </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>'.$firstName.'</td>
<td>'.$lastName.'</td>
</tr>
.
.
.
</table>
';
echo $html;
pdf-make.php:
This file holds the code to actually convert the contents of pdf-test.php into a pdf.
<?php
// Direct to the mpdf file.
include('mpdf/mpdf.php');
// Collect all the content.
ob_start();
include "pdf-test.php";
$template = ob_get_contents();
ob_end_clean();
$mpdf=new mPDF();
$mpdf->WriteHTML($template);
// I: send the file inline to the browser.
$mpdf->Output('cust-form-a', 'I');
?>
This is my loop:
$tbl = "form_Customers";
$sql = "SELECT ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY custFirt ASC)
AS RowNumber,
formID,
custFirt,
custLast,
displayRecord
FROM $tbl
WHERE formID = ? and displayRecord = ?";
$param = array($_SESSION["formid"], 'Y');
$stmt = sqlsrv_query($m_conn, $sql, $param);
$row = sqlsrv_fetch_array($stmt);
while ($row = sqlsrv_fetch_array($stmt)) {
$rowNum = $row['RowNumber'];
$firstN = $row['custFirt'];
$lastN = $row['custLast'];
}
When I try to include $rowNum, $firstN or $lastN in the $html such as
<td> '.$rowNum.'</td>
, it just shows up blank.
I'm not sure where the loop should go (which file) or how to include the $rowNum, $firstN and $lastN variables in the $html like the others.
I'm new to PHP (and relatively new to coding in general) and I don't have much experience working with it, but I've been able to make mPDF work for me in similar instances without the query included.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

Answer 1

I'm not sure how your loop interacts with the other two files, but this looks overly complex to me. I'd approach this in one .php file, something sort of like this:
<?php
//Include Files
include('mpdf/mpdf.php');
... //Your additional includes
//Define a row template string
$rowtemplate =<<<EOS
<tr>
<td>%%RowNumber%%</td>
<td>%%custFirt%%</td>
<td>%%custLast%%</td>
</tr>
EOS;
//Initialize the HTML for the document.
$html =<<<EOS
<h3> Form A </h3>
... //Your code
<td> Last Name: </td>
</tr>
EOS;
//Loop Code
$tbl = "form_Customers";
... //Your code
$row = sqlsrv_fetch_array($stmt);
while ($row = sqlsrv_fetch_array($stmt)) {
//Copy rowtemplate to a temporary variable
$out_tmp = $rowtemplate;
//Loop through your SQL variables and replace them when they appear in the template
foreach ($row as $key => $val) {
$out_tmp = str_ireplace('%%'.$key.'%%', $val, $out_tmp);
}
//Append the result to $html
$html .= $out_tmp;
}
// Close the open tags in $html
$html .= "</table></div>";
//Write the PDF
$mpdf=new mPDF();
$mpdf->WriteHTML($html);
$mpdf->Output('cust-form-a', 'I');
I'm using heredoc syntax for the strings, since I think this is the cleanest way to include a large string.
Also, I prefer to omit the closing ?> tag as it introduces a stupid source of errors.