Fatal error: [] operator not supported for string error on PHP Array in for loop

Question

I have this PHP Code:

for($i=1; $i<=$_POST["counter"]; $i++)
{
    if($_POST["checkbox$i"])
    {
        //select the billing_pdf row
        $sql="SELECT * from billing_pdf_archive where sequence = '".$_POST["checkbox$i"]."' ";
        $rs=mysql_query($sql,$conn);
        while($result=mysql_fetch_array($rs))
        {
            //now select all contacts for the company who receive all accounts emails
            $sql2="SELECT * from contacts where company_sequence = '".$result["customer_sequence"]."' and receive_accountsemails = 'yes' ";
            $rs2=mysql_query($sql2,$conn) or die(mysql_error());
            if(mysql_num_rows($rs2) > 0)
            {
                while($contacts2=mysql_fetch_array($rs2))
                {
                    //generate the list of emails address in an array
                    $emails_list[] = $contacts2["email"];
                }
                $emails_list = implode(',',$emails_list);
            }
        }

        $ins_sql2="INSERT into email_attachments (email_seq, attachment) values ('".$email_sequence."', '".$result["pdf"]."') ";
        $ins_rs2=mysql_query($ins_sql2,$conn) or die(mysql_error());

        $up_sql="UPDATE emails set emailto = '".$emails_list."' where sequence = '".$email_sequence."' ";
        $up_rs=mysql_query($up_sql,$conn);
    }
}

but I am getting this error:

Fatal error: [] operator not supported for strings in

on the line that says:

$emails_list[] = $contacts2["email"];

I am using the same array code on other pages (without the for loop) and they work fine

what am I doing wrong?

I can't see $emails_list = array(); anywhere. Also, could you var_dump($contacts2["email"]); just before the critical line? — Mołot
– Mołot, Commented Oct 10, 2013 at 8:34
Please, don't use mysql_* functions in new code. They are no longer maintained and are officially deprecated. See the red box? Learn about prepared statements instead, and use PDO or MySQLi - this article will help you decide which. If you choose PDO, here is a good tutorial. — h2ooooooo
– h2ooooooo, Commented Oct 10, 2013 at 8:35

David · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-10 08:39:36Z

3

you fill the array $emails_list[] in the second while with $contacts2["email"]. in the next line, you implode the array to a string.

for the next result (first while loop) $emails_list is a string. now you can't convert a string to an array

try this:

        $emailsListData = array();
        while($contacts2=mysql_fetch_array($rs2))
        {
            //generate the list of emails address in an array
            $emailsListData[] = $contacts2["email"];
        }
        $emails_list = implode(',',$emailsListData);

answered Oct 10, 2013 at 8:39

David

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3 Comments

AD7six Over a year ago

Better but now you've created the same error as DanFromGermany's answer (look at where $emails_list is used).

Daniel W. Over a year ago

This answer is whack according to AD7six because you don't fix all of the crap

AD7six Over a year ago

@DanFromGermany "Fix all the crap" means only initializing the array in an appropriate place i.e. line 3 of the code in the question. If it were necessary to rewrite the whole code to avoid the error I'd understand your POV; it isn't, and therefore I don't ;).

Hemant Maurya · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-13 12:54:17Z

2

You have already used $emails_list as a string some where in your page like $emails_list = 7;

and again using it like

$emails_list[] = array(1,2,4);

answered Jul 13, 2015 at 12:54

Hemant Maurya

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