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PHP Integrating PHP with Databases Querying the Database with PHP Working with Results

Posted by Michael Cook
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Michael Cook
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Graduate 28,975 Points

I don't understand why this foreach loop doesn't loop through a multi-dimensional array

When I use

$results_array = $results->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);

foreach($results_array as $key => $value) {
    send_offer($key["member_id"], $key["email"], $key["fullname"], $key["level"]);
}

The code doesn't pass the challenge. By when I replace $key => $value with just $key it passes. This is majorly confusing to me because the results of a database query is a multi-dimensional array and in order to loop through a multi-dimensional array you need a $key and a $value. I'm at a complete loss.

index.php 
<?php
include "helper.php";

try {
    $results = $db->query(
        "SELECT member_id, email, fullname, level FROM members"
    );
} catch (Exception $e) {
    echo $e->getMessage();
}
//add code below this line
$results_array = $results->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);

foreach($results_array as $key => $value) {
    send_offer($key["member_id"], $key["email"], $key["fullname"], $key["level"]);
}

1 Answer

Pascal Boschma
Pascal Boschma
379 Points
Pascal Boschma
Pascal Boschma
379 Points

A multi-dimensional array is an array existing out of other arrays. This is not what you are doing here.

foreach($results_array as $value) loops over the array given to him by $results_array. On each iteration, the current value will be asigned to the variable $value.

foreach($results_array as $key => $value) will assign the key to the first variable, $key (as an addition).

Even without the key variable, you can call it by your key, as this is your key. (I know, I know)