How to use a loop variable outside the loop? - php

Question

I am trying to use $description variable outside the loop. Help me do it please.
<?php
$sql_album = "SELECT * FROM albums";
$res_album = mysql_query($sql_album) or die(mysql_error());
$albums = array();
$description = "";
while ($row_album = mysql_fetch_assoc($res_album)) {
$description = $row_album['description'];
$albums[$row_album['title']] = array(
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/1.jpg',
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/2.jpg',
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/3.jpg',
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/4.jpg'
);
}
foreach ($albums as $name => $a) {
?>
<div id="album">
<a href="view_album.php?name=<?php echo $name; ?>" data-images="<?php echo implode('|', array_slice($a,1))?>" class="album">
<img src="<?php echo $a[0]?>" alt="<?php echo $name?>" />
<span class="preloader"></span>
</a>
<div class="album_info">
<h4><?php echo $name?></h4>
<p><?php echo $description; ?></p>
</div>
</div>
<?php
}
?>
Should I make an array, or define it first, i am totally confused, need help.

Answer 1

In your $albums array (in the while loop), store your images and description like this:
$albums[$row_album['title']] = array(
"description" => $row_album['description'],
"images" => array(
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/1.jpg',
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/2.jpg',
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/3.jpg',
'images/albums/'.$row_album['title'].'/4.jpg'
)
);
Then in your foreach loop, act like this:
<img src="<?php echo $a['images'][0]?>" alt="<?php echo $name?>" />
and
<p><?php echo $a['description']; ?></p>
Edit:
Don't forget to change this
array_slice($a,1)
to this:
array_slice($a['images'],1)

Answer 2

I would just combine the whole thing into a single loop; the below code is untested, but I hope you can follow it.
while ($row_album = mysql_fetch_assoc($res_album)) {
print_album($row_album);
}
function print_album(array $album)
{
$name = htmlspecialchars($album['title'], ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$description = htmlspecialchars($album['description'], ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$view_link = sprintf('view_album.php?%s', http_build_query([
'name' => $album['title'],
]);
$images = array_map(function($index) use ($album) {
return sprintf(
'images/albums/%s/%d.jpg',
urlencode($album['title']),
$index
);
}, range(1, 4));
$images_data = htmlspecialchars(join('|', array_slice($images, 1)), ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
?>
<div id="album">
<a href="<?php echo $view_link ?>" data-images="<?php echo $images_data; ?>" class="album">
<img src="<?php echo htmlspecialchars($images[0], ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8'); ?>" alt="<?php echo $name; ?>" />
<span class="preloader"></span>
</a>
<div class="album_info">
<h4><?php echo $name; ?></h4>
<p><?php echo $description; ?></p>
</div>
</div>
<?php
}
I've added escaping with the use of urlencode(), htmlspecialchars() and http_build_query() to prevent a potential break in your HTML (or XSS is the worst case).