problem with trim() function

[jimfog]

I am trying to use trim() on the values of an array nut it does not work because according to the manual it only accepts strings.Here is some code to see what I am talking about:

$pricelist['price1']=$_POST['price1'];trim($pricelist['price1']);

The user has entered the price in a form and I am passing that a value to an array of my own-but as I said above it does not work. I get error message...'trim expects string,array given'. WHat is wrong?

[jeffman]

If $_POST['price1'] is in fact a string, that should work. Try var_dump($_POST); to see exactly what data types it contains.

[jimfog]

well...here is the strange thing.I tried var_dump both on the value as it is passed on the POST array as it comes from the formand in the array I created and here is the output: var_dump on $_POST:

string 'pkpok' (length=5)

var_dump on $pricelist array:

array (size=1)  'price1' => string 'pkpok' (length=5)

So, yes in both cases we have string(pkpok is just a testword) but var_dump in the post array does not output that the type of the variable is an arrayas this happens with $pricelist array.

[jeffman]

I cannot duplicate this. Maybe justsomeguy has an answer

[justsomeguy]

According to what I see it looks fine, it's obviously not an array. Maybe seeing more code would help. The return value of trim isn't being saved, but that doesn't cause an error.

[thescientist]

what happens if you trim $_POST['price1']

[jimfog]

what happens if you trim $_POST['price1']

Yes...here is the weird,despite POST being an array too here is what var_dump outputs:

string 'pkpok' (length=5)

while var_dump on the pricelist array gives me what I mentioned above. But this is not the end of the story-here is some more code:

$pricelist['price1']=$_POST['price1'];function profile_check($required,$services,$pricelist){	 global $required,$pricelist;echo 'the below is vardump POST price1<br>';var_dump($_POST['price1']);//check herevar_dump($pricelist['price1']);//check here	 //validate the price	 if(val_prices($pricelist['price1']))		 return true;	 else		 false;	 val_services($services);	}  function val_prices($pricelist){   global $pricelist;    echo 'the below is var_dump pricelist in the val_prices function<br>';    var_dump($pricelist);	 $price1tr=trim($pricelist);//check here   	 if(is_numeric($price1tr))		 return true;	 else	 return false; 	}

The problem appears within Val_prices and not the function profile_check.Var_dumping the 2 arrays on profile_check give this-for both:

string 'pkpok' (length=5)string 'pkpok' (length=5)

while var_dumping the pricelist array within val_prices gives this-which also gives the error mentioned above:

array (size=1)  'price1' => string 'pkpok' (length=5)

I do not know why there is such behavior from PHP.

[birbal]

$pricelist itself is an array. in val_price() you are passong $pricelist. $pricelist['price'] is an element of array $pricelist which is itself a string, thus var dumping it shows you the string in other function.

[jimfog]

$pricelist itself is an array. in val_price() you are passong $pricelist. $pricelist['price'] is an element of array $pricelist which is itself a string, thus var dumping it shows you the string in other function.

I do not understand...how this is related to our problem.

[birbal]

in val_price() you have declared $pricelist as global. where as you have declared $pricelist as an array in the first line

$pricelist['price1']=$_POST['price1'];

it is actually creating an array $pricelist and assigning the $_POST['price1'] to $pricelist element "price1".In val price when you use global it is overwriting the local variable of $pricelist (which you have used as parameter). so at the time you are using trim() you are using $pricelist array.You should use var_dump() just before the problemetic line so that you can examine the variable well.

[thescientist]

stop using globals (it kind of defeats the point of functions) and start showing more code from the beginning. please.

[justsomeguy]

This is the problem: $price1tr=trim($pricelist); You already know that $pricelist is an array, you know that trim takes strings and not arrays, so that's a problem when you send an array to trim.

[jimfog]

This is the problem: $price1tr=trim($pricelist); You already know that $pricelist is an array, you know that trim takes strings and not arrays, so that's a problem when you send an array to trim.

Υes but POST is also an array but there is not problem using trim with it.I think birbal's explanation must be the correct one-not that yours is wrong.

[jimfog]

in val_price() you have declared $pricelist as global. where as you have declared $pricelist as an array in the first line

$pricelist['price1']=$_POST['price1'];

it is actually creating an array $pricelist and assigning the $_POST['price1'] to $pricelist element "price1". In val price when you use global it is overwriting the local variable of $pricelist (which you have used as parameter). so at the time you are using trim() you are using $pricelist array.You should use var_dump() just before the problemetic line so that you can examine the variable well.

Despite I have understood in general what are you talking about I have a question to make.Suppose I do not declare in val_price pricelist as global and and the parameter passes with no problem.Yes...but the parameter variable-is in it a array either way?The code works OK now.I am just having difficulty to understand why when $pricelist is declared globalthe problem appears and when not the problem disappears. Ok, you said...because it overrides the parameter. But the parameter is $pricelist...Sorry...for the long message. Edited January 15, 2013 by jimfog

[justsomeguy]

Υes but POST is also an array but there is not problem using trim with it.

Uh, yeah there is a problem using $_POST with trim. $_POST is an array. Trim does not work on arrays. That's obviously a problem. You're sending $pricelist to trim. $pricelist is an array. Trim does not work on arrays. That is a problem. This isn't a complicated issue. Go ahead and try it if you don't believe me, run trim($_POST) and see what happens.