errors when PHP include is run twice

Question

I have an include on my site that provides a link to narrow a database request for each starting letter, when it is run once on the site it runs fine. However, I would like to include it both at the top and bottom of the page and this seems to cause a problem as it shows each link twice.

Below is the code in the include

<?php
$alphas = range('A', 'Z');
$url =  'http://'.$_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'].dirname($_SERVER['PHP_SELF']);

foreach ($alphas as $letter) {
    $elements[] = "<a href=$url?firstletter=$letter>$letter</a>";
}
echo implode(', ', $elements);

I have tried checking whether $alphas exists and only running $alphas = range('A', 'Z') if it doesn't but that didn't help.

Any ideas appreciated.

Initialise $elements before the foreach i.e. $elements = array(); or $elements = []; — RiggsFolly
– RiggsFolly, Commented Feb 2, 2017 at 20:19
You did init before the loop like this right? $elements = array(); foreach ($alphas as $letter) { ... — RiggsFolly
– RiggsFolly, Commented Feb 2, 2017 at 20:22

RiggsFolly · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-02 20:29:07Z

2

Just test in the first line of the code if the $elements arrays already exist. Then the second time the code runs, it just explodes the $elements array that was created at the top of the script. No extra variables required!

<?php
if ( ! isset($elements) ) {
    $alphas = range('A', 'Z');
    $url =  'http://'.$_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'].dirname($_SERVER['PHP_SELF']);
    $elements = array();
    foreach ($alphas as $letter) {
        $elements[] = "<a href=$url?firstletter=$letter>$letter</a>";
    }
}
echo implode(', ', $elements);

answered Feb 2, 2017 at 20:29

RiggsFolly

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Smudgelet · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-02 20:28:24Z

1

This is the code I used to solve the issue, not saying it's the best, just what I used.

<?php
if (!isset($elements)) {
$alphas = range('A', 'Z');
$url =  'http://'.$_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'].dirname($_SERVER['PHP_SELF']);

foreach ($alphas as $letter) {
    $elements[] = "<a href=$url?firstletter=$letter>$letter</a>";
}
echo implode(', ', $elements);}
else {
    echo implode(', ', $elements);
}

answered Feb 2, 2017 at 20:28

Smudgelet

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