Multiple column HTML Table From Single Column Text File In PHP - php

Question

I have a simple working PHP script to write an HTML table from a text file that contains a single column of data that contains HTML links. This writes the data horizontally in a row across 5 or 6 columns as I want it to. But I am looking to set up a script with a loop that will take this list of data and input it into the table until it finishes the data list, so that I do not have to hard code each table cell individually. Just let the script create each table cell, at 5 or 6 columns across (whichever I need for this specific table), go to the next row, etc., until it runs out of data. The data in the data file will be added to on a regular basis, so the table will not be of a certain fixed length forever. I am using the echo command so that I can add some more HTML formatting later on.
Even though my existing script is simple and it works, if you can think of a better way of doing what I am trying to do, all suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Stan...
PHP code follows:
<?php
$item = #fopen('linklist.txt', "r");
if ($item) { while (!feof($item)) { $lines[] = fgets($item, 4096); } fclose($item); }
echo'
<TABLE border="1">
<TR>
<TD>'.($lines[1]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[2]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[3]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[4]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[5]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[6]).'</td>
</tr>
<TR>
<TD>'.($lines[7]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[8]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[9]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[10]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[11]).'</td>
<TD>'.($lines[12]).'</td>
</tr>
<!-- And So On, And So On, ETC -->
</table>'
?>

Answer 1

<?php
echo '<table border="1"><tr>';
for($i=0; $i<sizeof($lines); $i++) {
echo '<td>'.$lines[$i].'</td>';
if(($i+1)%6==0 && $i!=sizeof($lines)-1) echo '</tr><tr>';
}
echo '</tr></table>';
?>
Explanation:
Repeats through each "line" and writes the <td>value</td>
If a line is a multiple of 6, after writing the value, then close the row, and open another (unless it's the last one, since it will close the row after the loop as well.
(I assume you meant to start on $line[0], but if you really meant to start on $line[1], just change the $i=0; to $i=1;, remove the +1 in the row check, and change $i<sizeof to $i<=sizeof

Answer 2

$lines = chunk_split($lines,6);
?>
<TABLE border="1">
<? foreach ($lines as $row): ?>
<TR>
<? foreach ($row as $value): ?>
<TD><?=$value?></td>
<? endforeach ?>
<TR>
<? endforeach ?>
</TABLE>

Answer 3

In pseudo code...
x = 0
echo '<TABLE border="1">'
For each $line in $lines {
x = x + 1
if x = 1 {
echo '<TR>'
}
echo <TD>'.($line).'</TD>
if x = 6 {
echo '</TR>'
x = 0
}
}
echo '</TABLE>'
Note the use of the $line object to hold the value of the $line array element.
hth

Answer 4

If you use a loop, you can also avoid reading the complete file into memory, which might be beneficial:
<?php
$item = #fopen('linklist.txt', "r");
if ($item) {
echo'<TABLE border="1">';
$i=0;
$lines=array();
while (!feof($item)) {
$line[] = fgets($item, 4096);
$i++;
if ($i==6) {
echo "<tr>";
echo '<TD>'.($lines[0]).'</td>';
echo '<TD>'.($lines[1]).'</td>';
echo '<TD>'.($lines[2]).'</td>';
echo '<TD>'.($lines[3]).'</td>';
echo '<TD>'.($lines[4]).'</td>';
echo '<TD>'.($lines[5]).'</td>';
echo "<tr>";
$i=0;
$lines=array();
}
}
echo '</table>';
fclose($item);
}
?>