How to simplify this kind of code? - php

Question

This code is properly working. However, I'm thinking of ways to shorten it since I'm still learning PHP. I'm using this snippet to generate a title for an e-mail I am going to send to somebody.
foreach($_POST as $key => $value) {
if(strpos($key,'cloud') !== false && !$a) {
$title .= "CS ";
$a = true;
}
if(strpos($key,'dco') !== false && !$b) {
$title .= "DC ";
$b = true;
}
if(strpos($key,'comm') !== false && !$c) {
$title .= "BC ";
$c = true;
}
if(strpos($key,'fiber') !== false && !$d) {
$title .= "FC ";
$d = true;
}
}
I'm pretty sure they do the same thing (all of the if statements). If there's anything you can suggest/advice, please let me know!
Cheers!

Answer 1

You can simple create function. This code should work:
foreach($_POST as $key => $value) {
checkstrpos($key,'cloud',$a,$title,"CS ");
checkstrpos($key,'dco',$b,$title,"DC ");
checkstrpos($key,'comm',$c,$title,"BC ");
checkstrpos($key,'fiber',$d,$title,"FC ");
}
function checkstrpos($key,$text, &$variable, &$title, $add) {
if(strpos($key,$text) !== false && !$variable) {
$title .= $add;
$variable = true;
}
}
Another solution without using references:
foreach($_POST as $key => $value) {
list($title, $a) = checkstrpos($key,'cloud',$a,$title,"CS ");
list($title, $b) = checkstrpos($key,'dco',$b,$title,"DC ");
list($title, $c) = checkstrpos($key,'comm',$c,$title,"BC ");
list($title, $d) = checkstrpos($key,'fiber',$d,$title,"FC ");
}
function checkstrpos($key,$text, $variable, $title, $add) {
if(strpos($key,$text) !== false && !$variable) {
$title .= $add;
$variable = true;
}
return array($title, $variable);
}

Answer 2

To me I think that code is simple enough.
If you're attempting to make the code shorter, you risk making it harder to read.
The one comment I have is don't use generic variable names like $a, $b, $c and $d. Use proper descriptive variable names instead.
It's possible that you could swap the positions of these conditions, that is, change
if(strpos($key,'dco') !== false && !$b)
to
if(!$b && strpos($key,'dco') !== false)
But this is more of a micro-optimization than a simplification or change in readability.

Answer 3

Another solution without using a function:
$infos = array(
array('cloud', 'CS', &$a),
array('dco', 'DC', &$b),
array('comm', 'BC', &$c),
array('fiber', 'FC', &$d)
);
foreach($_POST as $k => $v) {
foreach($infos as $info) {
if ( !$info[2] && strpos($k, $info[0]) !== false) {
$title .= $info[1]. ' ';
$info[2] = true;
}
}
}
This isn't the best way though. As suggested in another answer, it'd be better to use a function: an anonymous function (aka closure).