Save Dynamic Array To MySQL Database - php

Question

I have a dynamic form that allows users to enter information and that form can be submitted multiple times and the page will show all of the inputted data thanks to $_SESSION. That information is sent to another page where it will be saved to a MySQL database after submission.
I can't get it to save all of the information. If I have 3 groups of data, it will only write the last one into the database. How do I save the entire array to the database?
This is the page that shows all of the dynamic information:
<?php
$invoice_no = $_SESSION['invoice'];
if(isset($_SESSION['order'])) :
foreach($_SESSION['order'] as $sav) {
?>
<form action="addrow.php" method="post">
<label>Length</label><input type="text" name="length" value="<?php echo $sav['length']; ?>" size="2">
<label>Width</label><input type="text" name="width" value="<?php echo $sav['width']; ?>" size="2">
<label>Color</label><input type="text" name="color" value="<?php echo $sav['color']; ?>" size="4">
<label>Quantity</label><input type="text" name="quantity" value="<?php echo $sav['quantity']; ?>" size="2">
<label>Invoice Is Hidden</label><input type="hidden" name="invoice" value="<?php echo $invoice_no; ?>">
<input type="hidden" name="total" value="<?php echo $sav['total']; ?>" />
<input type="hidden" name="PaymentStatus" value="PAID">
<br>
<?php } endif; ?>
<br><br>
<input type="submit" value="Submit" name="upload">
</form>
This page saves it to the database. I was unsure of how to save the array into the database, so I used the same code to show the session data and I modified it but failed:
<?php
require("addrow_info.php");
if(isset($_POST['upload'])) :
$decal = array(
'length' => $_POST['length'],
'width' => $_POST['width'],
'color' => $_POST['color'],
'quantity' => $_POST['quantity'],
'total' => $_POST['total'],
'invoice' => $_POST['invoice'],
'paymentStatus' => $_POST['PaymentStatus'],
'submit' => $_POST['upload']
);
$_POST['order'][] = $decal;
endif;
if(isset($_POST['order'])) :
foreach($_POST['order'] as $newOrder) {
// Opens a connection to a MySQL server
$connection=mysql_connect ("localhost", $username, $password);
if (!$connection) {
die('Not connected : ' . mysql_error());
}
// Set the active MySQL database
$db_selected = mysql_select_db($database, $connection);
if (!$db_selected) {
die ('Can\'t use db : ' . mysql_error());
}
// Insert new row with user data
$query = "INSERT INTO orders (PaymentStatus, invoice_no, length, width, color, quantity, total ) VALUES ('".$newOrder['paymentStatus']."','".$newOrder['invoice']."','".$newOrder['length']."', '".$newOrder['width']."', '".$newOrder['color']."', '".$newOrder['quantity']."', '".$newOrder['total']."')";
$result = mysql_query($query);
if (!$result) {
die('Invalid query: ' . mysql_error());
echo "$query";
mysql_close();
}
} endif;
header ("location:/thankyou.php");
?>
I was reading about using the serialize() function but I'm not sure if that's best for what I'm trying to accomplish. I want each group of data to save in one row under their respective column.
It should look like this:
Length Width Color Invoice Quantity Total PaymentStatus
5 5 Green abc123 1 2.00 PAID <--Each row is a group
6 6 blue def234 2 3.00 PAID
What is the best solution for saving an array into a MySQL database?

Answer 1

<form action="addrow.php" method="post"><?php
$invoice_no = $_SESSION['invoice'];
if(isset($_SESSION['order'])) :
foreach($_SESSION['order'] as $sav) {
?>
<label>Length</label><input type="text" name="length[]" value="<?php echo $sav['length']; ?>" size="2">
<label>Width</label><input type="text" name="width[]" value="<?php echo $sav['width']; ?>" size="2">
<label>Color</label><input type="text" name="color[]" value="<?php echo $sav['color']; ?>" size="4">
<label>Quantity</label><input type="text" name="quantity[]" value="<?php echo $sav['quantity']; ?>" size="2">
<label>Invoice Is Hidden</label><input type="hidden" name="invoice[]" value="<?php echo $invoice_no; ?>">
<input type="hidden" name="total[]" value="<?php echo $sav['total']; ?>" />
<input type="hidden" name="PaymentStatus" value="PAID">
<br>
<?php } endif; ?>
<br><br><input type="submit" value="Submit" name="upload">
</form>
try it and print_r( $_POST ), I think you can make it.
if(isset($_POST['upload'])) {
print_r($_POST);
}
Array ( [length] => Array ( [0] => 2 [1] => 3 [2] => 4 ) [width] => Array ( [0] => 2 [1] => 3 [2] => 3 )
for($i=0;$i<count($_POST['length']);$i++){
$order = array(
'length'=>$_POST['length'][$i],
'width'=>$_POST['width'][$i]),
//...............
);
$sql = "INSERT INTO orders (PaymentStatus, invoice_no, length, width, color, quantity, total ) VALUES ('{$order['paymentStatus']}','{$order['invoice']}','{$order['length']}', '{$order['width']}', '{$order['color']}', '{$order['quantity']}', '{$order['total']}')";
mysql_query($sql);
}