[FX.php List] Creating Reusable Code

Sat Sep 9 19:56:40 MDT 2006

Oh!  OK. I get it.

The foreach (loop?) walks the first array and uses the built in $key. 
Then, at the same time, you grab the value from the other arrays 
using the $key from the first array.  No need to do the foreach for 
every array.  That makes sense.  And it works.

By the way, I was able to get the hybrid Andy/Dan script to work just 
before receiving your last email, using the counter.  The counter 
doesn't hurt, but it isn't needed in this case either.  Just had to 
start the counter at "0", not "1", to accomodate the way the arrays 
work. ;-)

So now, with this enhancement, I've managed to separate the data from 
the script almost completely.  No I can re-purpose the script for new 
projects and have it working in minutes...not days.

That's a good thing. ;-)

Thanks very much folks.

I assume that this is the natural and desired progression of things 
in order to do better and more efficient work?

Jonathan

At 9:33 PM -0400 9/9/06, Andy Gaunt wrote:
>Jonathon,
>
>Close.
>
>Try this instead.
>
><?php
>	$fieldnames = array('A', 'B','J');
>	$fieldwidths = array('5', '10','5');
>	$fieldlabels = array('this', 'that','the_other');
>
>?>
><tr>
><?php
>foreach ($fieldnames as $key=>$fieldname)
>{
>   echo '<td><input name="'.$fieldname.'" size="'.$fieldwidths[$key].'"
>id="'.$fieldlabels[$key].'"  >';
>} echo '</td>'; ?>
>  </tr>
>
>
>As Dan pointed out, simple arrays have number keys, so while using a single
>foreach loop on one array can yield values from any other arrays (as long as
>the values are matched correctly).
>
>Here the $key is the numeric value of the position in the array, so you
>don't even need a counter variable.
>
>HTH
>
>Andy Gaunt
>Office: 321.206.3658
>Mobile: 407.810.4722
>andy at fmpug.com
>http://www.fmpug.com   
>
>2006 FileMaker Excellence Award Winner
>Recipient of FileMaker's 2005 "Mad Dog" Public Relations Award
>
>For chapter locations, dates & times please visit the website at
>http://www.fmpug.com If you can make it to a meeting, please RSVP at
>http://www.fmpug.com/rsvp.php
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org
>[mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org] On Behalf Of Jonathan Schwartz
>Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 9:06 PM
>To: FX.php Discussion List
>Subject: Re: [FX.php List] Creating Reusable Code
>
>Hmmmm...
>
>So I'm asking classic questions now.  I like the sound of that. Other
>have a different name for that. ;-)
>
>HOWEVER....I don't see how your example will allow me to pull the
>values out of several arrays at a time to compose the single (input)
>field I need.  There's no mention of the second and third arrays.
>
>Let me think out loud...
>
>I have multiple arrays, each with 10 values:
>	$fieldnames = array('A', 'B',...'J');
>	$fieldwidths = array('5', '10',...'5');
>	$fieldlabels = array('this', that',... 'the_other');
>
>I need to construct the following 10 input tags in html:
>	<input name="A" size="5" id="this type="text">
>	<input name="B" size="10" id="that" type="text">
>	...
>	<input name="J" size="5" id="the_other" type="text">
>
>
>If I go back to Andy Gaunt's suggestion, but insert your array suggestion...
>
><?php
>echo '<tr  class="ver10" valign="top">';
>$total = 10;
>$counter = 1;
>while ($counter <= $total) {
>	echo '<td><input name="'$fieldnames[$ counter].'" type="text"
>id="'.$fieldlabels[$ counter].'" size="'.$fieldwidths[$ counter].'"></td>';
>	$ counter ++;
>}
>echo '</tr>';
>?>
>
>Does this work, in principle?  I'm sure that the syntax is off.
>
>Jonathan
>
>
>
>At 8:37 PM -0400 9/9/06, DC wrote:
>>right, great question!
>>
>>that's a classic array usage question. you have to use the numeric
>>keys that come along for free in every simple array (associative
>>arrrays are arrays where the keys are 'named') or you can use
>>external counter variables to keep the multiple arrays in sync on
>>output if keys are not available.
>>
>><tr>
>><? foreach {
>>($fieldnames as $key=>$fieldname);
>>echo '<td><input name="'.$fieldname.'" size="'.$fieldwidth[$key].'"  >';
>  >}
>>echo '></td>';
>>?>
>></tr>
>>
>>cheers,
>>dan
>>
>>On Sep 9, 2006, at 8:02 PM, Jonathan Schwartz wrote:
>>
>>>Dan,
>>>
>>>Thanks for the tip.
>  >>
>>>I switched over to creating arrays to hold the 10 values in 2 categories.
>>>
>>>And while I was able to use your suggested script to echo out the
>>>values in the first array, my success quickly went down the tubes
>>>when trying to repeat that process for the other three arrays,
>>>while attempting insert the values into a single line.
>>>
>>>I know this is wrong, but this is my last attempt before I ran out
>>>of patience:
>>>
>>><tr>
>>><? foreach {
>>>($fieldnames as $fieldname);
>>>($fieldwidths as $fieldwidth);
>>>echo '<td><input name="'.$fieldname.'" size="'.$fieldwidth.'"  >';
>>>}
>>>echo '></td>';
>>>?>
>>></tr>
>>>
>>>In short, I'm looking to extract the first value from each array
>>>for the first line, the second value from each array for the second
>>>line...for 10 lines.
>>>
>>>How does one extract one value from multiple arrays and then
>>>compile a single line of html based on those value?
>>>
>>>This is what I get for trying to be efficient. ;-)
>>>
>>>J
>>>
>>>>jonathan,
>>>>
>>>>unless your field names are purposefully named with number
>>>>endings, why don't you simplify it and remove the need for
>>>>$counter and while loop. it looks like you are trying to create
>>>>variable names on the fly by appending a number... if you really
>>>>want to do it this way you need to use 'varaible variables' but
>>>>they are pretty weird so it's best to keep it simple. try double
>>>>dollar sign $$term instead of \$term. but, really you should read
>>>>up on variable variables to get it right.
>>>>
>>>>if you want to make it simple, change the approach and make a
>>>>field name array:
>>>>just put the field names you want in an array at the top of the
>>>>page and iterate over the array to get your field names out into
>>>>the table. same thing with any fieldwidths or field values you
>>>>want. just make sure the arrays are all the same size.
>>>>
>>>>so instead of:
>>>>
>>>>><? $term1 = "fieldnamesoand so"; ?> ... etc...
>>>>
>>>>use:
>>>><?php
>>>>$fields_array = array('list', 'of', 'field', 'names','here');
>>>>foreach ($fields_array as $fieldname) {
>>>>	echo '<td><input name="'.$fieldname.'"></td>';
>>>>{
>>>>?>
>>>>
>>>>HTH,
>>>>dan
>>>>
>>>>On Sep 9, 2006, at 6:06 PM, Jonathan Schwartz wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Andy,
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks for the help.
>>>>>
>>>>>I understand the approach now, but can't get the code to work.  I
>>>>>reworked it a couple dozen times and still am getting the literal
>>>>>value of "$term1" instead of the value of the variable,
>>>>>previously defined on the page.
>>>>>
>>>>>From the resulting html source code:
>>>>><tr>
>>>>><td><input name="$term1"></td><td><input name="$term2"></td>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Here's my current php code:
>>>>><? $term1 = "fieldnamesoand so"; ?>
>>>>><snip>
>>>>><snip>
>>>>><tr>
>>>>><?php
>>>>>$total = 11;
>>>>>$counter = 1;
>>>>>while ($counter <= $total) {
>>>>>	$beginning="\$term";
>>>>>	$termcurrent = $beginning.$counter;
>>>>>	echo '<td><input name="'.$termcurrent.'"></td>';
>>>>>	$counter ++; }
>>>>>echo "</tr>";
>>>>>?>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Jonathan
>>>>>
>>>>>>Jonathon,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Try the following.
>>>>>>
>>>>>><?php
>>>>>>echo '<tr  class="ver10" valign="top">';
>>>>>>$total = 10;
>>>>>>$counter = 1;
>>>>>>while ($counter <= $total) {
>>>>>>	echo '<td><input name="'.$term.$ counter.'" type="text"
>>>>>>id="'.$term.$ counter.'" size="'.$termwidth.$ counter.'"></td>';
>>>>>>	$ counter ++; }
>>>>>>echo '</tr>';
>>>>>>?>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Changing the value for the while statement will let you increase
>>>>>>or decrease
>>>>>>the number of cells created.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Another option is a 'for' loop
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>$total = 20;
>>>>>>echo '<tr  class="ver10" valign="top">';
>>>>>>for($counter=0; $counter < $total; $counter++) {
>>>>>>	echo '<td><input name="'.$term.$counter.'" type="text"
>>>>>>id="'.$term.$counter.'" size="'.$termwidth.$counter.'"></td>';
>>>>>>}
>>>>>>echo '</tr>';
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Andy Gaunt
>>>>>>Office: 321.206.3658
>>>>>>Mobile: 407.810.4722
>>>>>>andy at fmpug.com
>>>>>>http://www.fmpug.com
>>>>>>2006 FileMaker Excellence Award Winner
>  >>>>>Recipient of FileMaker's 2005 "Mad Dog" Public Relations Award
>>>>>>
>>>>>>For chapter locations, dates & times please visit the website at
>  >>>>>http://www.fmpug.com If you can make it to a meeting, please RSVP at
>>>>>>http://www.fmpug.com/rsvp.php
>>>>>>
>>>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>>>From: fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org
>>>>>>[mailto:fx.php_list-bounces at mail.iviking.org] On Behalf Of
>>>>>>Jonathan Schwartz
>>>>>>Sent: Saturday, September 09, 2006 11:54 AM
>>>>>>To: FX.php Discussion List
>>>>>>Subject: [FX.php List] Creating Reusable Code
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Hi Folks,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I'm attempting to get more efficient with scripting.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>My first step was to remove hard-code field names from my favorite
>>>>>>search and display script, creating variables for each field and
>>>>>>defining those variables at the top of the document.  This works
>>>>>>great.  Now, I can re-purpose the script for another db and layout by
>>>>>>just changing the field variables at the top of the page, instead of
>>>>>>ripping apart the entire document.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>The second area I'm looking at is to reduce the repetition of
>>>>>>repetitive code (example below actually has 10+ iterations) and use
>>>>>>an iterative loop to accomplish the same, counting from 1 to n lines.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Is that possible/reasonable/reccomended/etc?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Thanks
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Jonathan
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>><tr  class="ver10" valign="top">
>>>>>>	<td><input name="<? echo $term1; ?>" type="text" id="<? echo
>>>>>>$term1; ?>" size="<? echo $termwidth1; ?>"></td>
>>>>>>	<td><input name="<? echo $term2; ?>" type="text" id="<? echo
>>>>>>$term2; ?>" size="<? echo $termwidth2; ?>"></td>
>>>>>>	<td><input name="<? echo $term3; ?>" type="text" id="<? echo
>>>>>>$term3; ?>" size="<? echo $termwidth3; ?>"></td>
>>>>>>--
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Jonathan Schwartz
>>>>>>FileMaker 8 Certified  Developer
>>>>>>Associate Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance
>>>>>>Schwartz & Company
>>>>>>jonathan at eschwartz.com
>>>>>>http://www.eschwartz.com
>>>>>>http://www.exit445.com
>>>>>>415-381-1852
>>>>>>
>>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>>FX.php_List mailing list
>>>>>>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>>>>>>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>>FX.php_List mailing list
>>>>>>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>>>>>>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>--
>>>>>
>>>>>Jonathan Schwartz
>>>>>FileMaker 8 Certified  Developer
>>>>>Associate Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance
>>>>>Schwartz & Company
>>>>>jonathan at eschwartz.com
>>>>>http://www.eschwartz.com
>>>>>http://www.exit445.com
>>>>>415-381-1852
>>>>>
>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>FX.php_List mailing list
>>>>>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>>>>>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>FX.php_List mailing list
>>>>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>>>>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>
>>>Jonathan Schwartz
>>>FileMaker 8 Certified  Developer
>>>Associate Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance
>>>Schwartz & Company
>>>jonathan at eschwartz.com
>>>http://www.eschwartz.com
>>>http://www.exit445.com
>>>415-381-1852
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>FX.php_List mailing list
>>>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>>>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>FX.php_List mailing list
>>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>
>
>--
>
>Jonathan Schwartz
>FileMaker 8 Certified  Developer
>Associate Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance
>Schwartz & Company
>jonathan at eschwartz.com
>http://www.eschwartz.com
>http://www.exit445.com
>415-381-1852
>
>_______________________________________________
>FX.php_List mailing list
>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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>FX.php_List at mail.iviking.org
>http://www.iviking.org/mailman/listinfo/fx.php_list

-- 

Jonathan Schwartz
FileMaker 8 Certified  Developer
Associate Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance
Schwartz & Company
jonathan at eschwartz.com
http://www.eschwartz.com
http://www.exit445.com
415-381-1852