Foreach $_POST results from form, returning the word “Array”

Question

Language: PHP / MySQL

I have a form on a page, with hidden inputs. I forward the data from these inputs on to another page, then I insert them into my database.

The inputs inside the form are:

• copied_filename[]
• copied_url[]
• copied_userid[]

These are set-up to be arrays because there are times that a user will have more than one file attached.

<input type="hidden" id="copied_filename" name="copied_filename[]" value="<?php echo $img->filename; ?>" />
<input type="hidden" id="copied_url" name="copied_url[]" value="<?php echo $img->url; ?>" />
<input type="hidden" id="copied_userid" name="copied_userid[]" value="<?php echo $current_user->id; ?>" />

Now on the 2nd page where the data is received, this is how I handle it:

    if (empty($_POST["copied_filename"])) {
    WHAT IT DOES WHEN THERE ARE NO ATTACHED FILES
    }

    else {
    $copied_filename = $_POST["copied_filename"];
    $copied_url = $_POST["copied_url"];
    $new_sessionid = $_POST['session_id'];


    foreach ($_POST["copied_filename"] as $copied_file) {
        $sql = "INSERT INTO ".$wpdb->prefix."estimate_images (code, url, filename, session_id, user_id) VALUES ('".$code."', '".$copied_url."', '".$copied_file."','".$new_sessionid."', '".$current_user->id."')";
        $wpdb->query($sql);

    }

It works fine for the filename, but the URL being inserted in my database is the word " Array "...

I am sure it is the foreach format, but I am stumped & don't know how to fix it.

Thank you so much for your time, any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

if (empty($_POST["copied_filename"])) {
    //WHAT IT DOES WHEN THERE ARE NO ATTACHED FILES
}

else {
    $new_sessionid = $_POST['session_id'];

    foreach ($_POST["copied_filename"] as $k => $copied_file) {
        $copied_url = $_POST["copied_url"][$k];        

        $sql = "INSERT INTO ".$wpdb->prefix."estimate_images (code, url, filename, session_id, user_id) VALUES ('".$code."', '".$copied_url."', '".$copied_file."','".$new_sessionid."', '".$current_user->id."')";
        $wpdb->query($sql);
    }
}

Answer 2

Because they are arrays. echo cannot correctly display an array. Use print_r or var_dump to see the correct structure.

If you want to access the first element, you need to echo $_POST["copied_filename"][0] .

If you want to access all of the elements, iterate it with a foreach loop.

Answer 3

Your foreach is working on copied_filename only. For your situation try in this way:

foreach ($_POST["copied_filename"] as $key => $val) 
{
    $sql = "INSERT INTO ".$wpdb->prefix."estimate_images (code, url, filename, 
    session_id, user_id) VALUES ('".$code."', '".$copied_url[$key]."', 
    '".$val."','".$new_sessionid."', '".$current_user->id."')";
    $wpdb->query($sql);
}

Answer 4

$copied_url is an array. To get the URL you have to do something like eg $copied_url[0]. In your case maybe simething like this could work:

for($i=0; $i< count($_POST["copied_filename"]); $i++) {
    $sql = "INSERT INTO ".$wpdb->prefix."estimate_images (code, url, filename, session_id, user_id) VALUES ('".$code."', '".$copied_url[$i]."', '".$copied_filename[$i]."','".$new_sessionid."', '".$current_user->id."')";
    $wpdb->query($sql);

}