Loading images from a directory into an array with php - php

Question

So I've killed an entire day trying to do something that would take someone who actually knows how to write php less than 2mins. Frustrating, but I learn by doing and trying to figure things out.
I'll feel like a failure for not getting this, but 8hrs and counting (yeah I know lame) is enough.
Can somebody tell me what's wrong with this equation...
$dir = '../folder';
$images_array = glob($dir.'*.jpg');
$values['options'] = array( '<img src="$images_array"/>');
It's probably obvious, but all I need is for the images in mysite.com/folder to be loaded into the $values['options'] array.
If I simply state the path to a single image in then the image is displayed (obviously because it's not reliant on anything else.)
Thanks.
#hellcode
Sorry about the mess in the 'comment' below your response. Unfortunately I couldn't get this to work? Maybe I need to provide more context.
The images in the folder are going to be used as checkbox items in a form. This was my original code (not working):
add_filter('frm_setup_new_fields_vars', 'frm_set_checked', 20, 2);
function frm_set_checked($values, $field){
if($field->id == 187){
$dir = '../folder';
$images_array = glob($dir.'*.jpg');
$values['options'] = array( '<img src="$images_array"/>');
$values['use_key'] = true;
}
return $values;
}
I added your code like so:
add_filter('frm_setup_new_fields_vars', 'frm_set_checked', 20, 2);
function frm_set_checked($values, $field){
if($field->id == 187){
$dir = '../folder';
$images_array = glob($dir.'*.jpg');
$values['options'] = array();
foreach($images_array as $image) {
$values['options'][] = '<img src="'.$image.'"/>';
}
$values['use_key'] = true;
}
return $values;
}
But it didn't pull the files in unfortunately :(

Answer 1

Try:
$dir = '../folder';
$images_array = glob($dir.'*.jpg');
$values['options'] = array();
foreach($images_array as $image) {
$values['options'][] = '<img src="'.$image.'"/>';
}

Answer 2

Well, one problem may be that the glob() function uses the current directory, which can be anything, unless you use the chdir() function.
One thing that is definitely a problem is that you are using glob()'s return value, $images_array, as a string. Because it is an array that will not work.
Here is something that should work.
// Allowed image formats (also known as a "whitelist")
$allowedFormats = ['jpg', 'jpeg', 'gif', 'png'];
// Array for holding any found images
$foundImages = [];
// Get the real path from the relative path
$path = realpath('../folder');
if ($path === false) {
die('The path does not exist!');
}
// Open a folder handle
$folder = dir($path);
// Read what is in the folder
while (($item = $folder->read()) !== false) {
// .. is the parent folder, . is the current folder
if ($item === '..' or $item === '.') {
continue;
}
// Find the last dot in the filename
// If it was not found then not image file
$lastDot = strrpos($item, '.');
if ($lastDot === false) {
continue;
}
// Get the filetype and make sure it is
// an allowed format
$filetype = substr($item, $lastDot);
if ( ! in_array($filetype, $allowedFormats)) {
continue;
}
// Okay, looks like an image!
$foundImages[] = $item;
}
// Close the folder handle
$folder->close();