$_POST data to $_SESSION array

Question

I have a form that allows users to enter a name and an associated date of birth.

The form allows users to dynamically add more names and date of births.

I would like to push this data to an associated array $_SESSION variable and then loop through it.

<form action="page.php">
  <input type="text" name="child[0][name]" value="Name">
  <input type="text" name="child[0][dob]" value="Date of Birth">
  <input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>

//trying to save the posted data to a SESSION
$_SESSION['children'] = [];

if (isset($_POST['child'])) {
    foreach ($_POST['child'] as $value) {
       array_push($_SESSION['children'], $value['name']);
       array_push($_SESSION['children'], $value['dob']);
    }
}

What would the loop from the SESSION look like to get my data to read:

Peter Smith born on 11/11/1900
Sally Smith born on 11/22/2222

When I print_r($_SESSION):

Array ( [0] => Peter Smith [1] => 11/11/1900 [2] => Sally Smith [3] => 11/22/2222 )

don't forget the indices, child[0] so that each can be grouped — Kevin
– Kevin, Commented Jul 4, 2016 at 22:57
Your array organization seems like a bad idea. You shouldn't put the name and DOB in separate entries in the array, you should combine them into a single object or associative array. — Barmar
– Barmar, Commented Jul 4, 2016 at 22:59
why do you need a loop for? just straight assign it $_SESSION['children'] = $_POST['child'] — Kevin
– Kevin, Commented Jul 4, 2016 at 23:00
@FirstOne go on ahead, no prob, no need to attribution or anything — Kevin
– Kevin, Commented Jul 4, 2016 at 23:12

FirstOne · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-04 23:30:26Z

1

For your current session value, you'd go like this:

$for($i=0; $i<count($_SESSION['children']); $i+=2){
    echo $_SESSION['children'][$i] . ' born on ' . $_SESSION['children'][$i+1] . '<br>';
}

It would be better if you just kept the keys for a more precise code. Take a look:

// .. code ..
if (isset($_POST['child'])) {
    // check if it's not created yet
    if(!isset($_SESSION['children']){
        $_SESSION['children'] = array();
    }
    // Adds (without replacing) the values from post to session
    $_SESSION['children'] = array_merge($_SESSION['children'], $_POST['child']);
    // Display the new session data
    foreach($_SESSION['children'] as $v){
        // better access using "name" and "dob"'s keys
        echo $v['name'] . ' was born on ' . $v['dob'] . '<br>';
    }
}

Note that this code keeps the previous $_SESSION['children'] value.

edited Jul 4, 2016 at 23:30

answered Jul 4, 2016 at 22:59

FirstOne

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1 Comment

user1040259 Over a year ago

Thanks guys! That super simplified it and I was able to easily loop.

Phil · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-04 23:13:33Z

0

First, only initialise $_SESSION['children'] if it is not already an array

if (!array_key_exists('children', $_SESSION)) {
    $_SESSION['children'] = [];
}

Then, simply merge $_POST into $_SESSION['children']

$_SESSION['children'] = array_merge($_SESSION['children'], $_POST);

answered Jul 4, 2016 at 23:13

Phil

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