Specifications

Alternatively, we can use the array_reverse() function to reverse the array created by

range().

$numbers = range(1,10);

$numbers = array_reverse($numbers);

Note that array_reverse() returns a modified copy of the array. Because we did not want the

original array, we simply stored the new copy over the original.

Loading Arrays from Files

In Chapter 2, “Storing and Retrieving Data,” we stored customer orders in a file. Each line in

the file looks something like

15:42, 20th April 4 tires 1 oil 6 spark plugs $434.00 22 Short St, Smalltown

To process or fulfill this order, we could load it back into an array. Listing 3.2 displays the cur-

rent order file.

LISTING 3.2 vieworders.php—Using PHP to Display Orders for Bob

$orders= file(“../../orders/orders.txt”);

$number_of_orders = count($orders);

if ($number_of_orders == 0)

{

echo “No orders pending.

Please try again later.”;

}

for ($i=0; $i<$number_of_orders; $i++)

{

echo $orders[$i].” ”;

}

This script produces almost exactly the same output as Listing 2.2 in the previous chapter,

which is shown in Figure 2.4. This time, we are using the function file(), which loads the

entire file into an array. Each line in the file becomes one element of an array.

This code also uses the count() function to see how many elements are in an array.

Furthermore, we could load each section of the order lines into separate array elements to

process the sections separately or to format them more attractively. Listing 3.3 does exactly

that.

Using Arrays

HAPTER 3

USING ARRAYS

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