PHP - how to add $key => $value to two dimensional associative array

Question

I'm trying to add a new set of key and values into a two dimensional associative array. Here is my array

myArray = array(1 => array("John", 500, "2012-09-02"),
2 => array("Mike", 105, "2012-07-01"),
3 => array("Joe", 24, "2011-12-23"),
4 => array("Alex", 65, "2012-08-30"));

What I would like to do is have user input an ID and a name than either increase value[1] by 5 if they entered data is in myArray, but if it's not than I would like to add their information as new data into the array so it should output/print a 5th $key and $values. The if statement works fine and adds 5 to value[1], but I can't seem to get the else if statement to add the new entry.

$nameExists = FALSE;
$name = htmlspecialchars($_POST['name']);
$id = htmlspecialchars($_POST['id']);

foreach($myArray as $key => $value){
    if($key == $id && $value[0] == $name){
    $value[1] = $value[1] + 5;
    $nameExists = TRUE;
        }
        else if ($nameExists === FALSE){
            $newData = array($name, 1, date("Y-m-d"));
            $myArray[] = $newData;
        }
        echo "<tr><td>".$key."</td>
                    <td>".$value[0]."</td>
                    <td>".$value[1]."</td>
                    <td>".$value[2]."</td></tr>";
}

any help appreciated, thank you.

Answer 1

It looks like you have a logic flow problem with the check for $nameExists === FALSE . That should be tested after the entire foreach loop has completed, rather than inside the loop body. Otherwise, the loop tests the first array element for a match and if not found right then, proceeds to append to the array.

Instead, move the $nameExists === FALSE to after the loop. If no match was found, that flag will not have been set TRUE and the array append should work.

$nameExists = FALSE;

// Note: use htmlspecialchars() on *output to HTML* not on input filtering!
// If you print these values later in the page, you should enclose them
// in htmlspecialchars() at that time. Placing it here may cause
// your values not to match in the loop if the stored vals were unescaped.
$name = $_POST['name'];
$id = $_POST['id'];

// Note the &$value is needed here to modify the array inside the loop by reference
// If left out, you'll get through the loop and changes will be discarded.
foreach($myArray as $key => &$value){
    if($key == $id && $value[0] == $name){
        $value[1] = $value[1] + 5;
        $nameExists = TRUE;
        // No need to continue looping, you can exit the loop now
        break;
    }
    // Finish loop - flag was set TRUE if any match was found
}

// Now, if nothing was modified in the loop and the flag is still FALSE, append a new one
if ($nameExists === FALSE){
    $newData = array($name, 1, date("Y-m-d"));
    $myArray[] = $newData;
}


// Use a separate loop to output your complete array after modification
foreach ($myArray as $key => $value) {
    // use htmlspecialchars() here instead...
    // And display output values indexed $myArray[$id]
    echo "<tr><td>".$key."</td>
        <td>".htmlspecialchars($value[0])."</td>
        <td>".htmlspecialchars($value[1])."</td>
        <td>".htmlspecialchars($value[2])."</td></tr>";
}

Check the notes in the PHP foreach documentation about modifying the looped array with & references.