PHP: Manipulating Multdimensional Array in Form Data? - php

Question

I have a form that includes the first name and last name of a person. The user can add multiple people using a link, that creates new input fields via JS. Here's an example of a form that includes 2 people:
<form action="" method="post">
<input type="text" class="required" name="people[first][]" />
<input type="text" class="required" name="people[last][]" />
<input type="text" class="required" name="people[first][]" />
<input type="text" class="required" name="people[last][]" />
<input type="submit" name="submit">
</form>
I'm trying to figure out a way to insert this data into the database. I've tried using:
foreach ($_POST['people'] as $person) {
foreach ($person as $value) {
echo $value . '<br/>';
}
}
.. which results in
first name 1
first name 2
last name 1
last name 2
I'm trying to group the results somehow so I can insert a new row for each first name x + last name x combination.

Answer 1

Create the input elements like this:
<input type="text" name="people[0][first]" />
<input type="text" name="people[0][last]" />
<input type="text" name="people[1][first]" />
<input type="text" name="people[1][last]" />
In your PHP:
foreach ($_POST['people'] as $person) {
echo $person['first'].' '.$person['last'].'<br />';
}

Answer 2

$_POST['people']['first'] is an array of first names.
$_POST['people']['last'] is an array of last names.
You can merge them into an array of arrays like this:
$people = $_POST['people'];
$length = count($people['first']);
for($i = 0; $i < $length; $i++)
$temp[] = array('first' => $people['first'][$i], 'last' => $people['last'][$i]);
$people = $temp;
The resulting array in $people will be an array of associative arrays, and might look like:
Array
(
[0] => Array
(
[first] => Jim
[last] => Smith
)
[1] => Array
(
[first] => Jenny
[last] => Johnson
)
)
which is equivalent to the array you would get by modifying your HTML as bsdnoobz has shown you can do as well. Iterating through it would be the same too:
foreach ($people as $person) {
echo $person['first'] . ' ' . $person['last'] . '<br />';
}