POST Variable Array and filter_input
PhpArraysVariablesPostInputPhp Problem Overview
While using filter_input
, I'm not able to pull in a POST
array variable. The POST
input:
type => 'container',
action => 'edit',
data[display] => 1,
data[query_limit] => 100
I can access the data
variable from the $_POST
superglobal correctly as an array, but the filter_input
function returns nothing:
$data = $_POST['data']; // Working, woot
$data = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'data'); // returns null, should return array
$action = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'action'); // returns "edit" (correctly)
Is it not possible to use filter_input
for a POST
array variable?
Php Solutions
Solution 1 - Php
Try :
$data = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'data', FILTER_DEFAULT, FILTER_REQUIRE_ARRAY);
Links:
Solution 2 - Php
FILTER_REQUIRE_ARRAY
will return false if the POST
variable contains a scalar value. If you're unsure or just intend on the POST
variable accepting both scalar and array values, use FILTER_FORCE_ARRAY
instead, which will treat any input as an array, essentially casting scalar values accordingly.
$data = filter_input(INPUT_POST, 'data', FILTER_DEFAULT, FILTER_FORCE_ARRAY);
Solution 3 - Php
I have used FormData in javascript and post the fields with jquery ajax. The way I receive all these field is:
$arrFields = array('field1','field2','field2','field3', 'field4','field5');
foreach($arrFields as $field){
$params[$field] = filter_input(INPUT_POST, $field, FILTER_DEFAULT);
}
var_dump($params);
Then I will get all the data into an array which I can pass on...
Solution 4 - Php
Alternatively you can do your filtering in one shot...for example
$MY_INPUT = filter_input_array(INPUT_POST, [
"item_id" => FILTER_SANITIZE_NUMBER_INT,
"item_string_code" => FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING,
"method" => FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING,
"item_id_array" => array(
'filter' => FILTER_SANITIZE_NUMBER_INT,
'flags' => FILTER_REQUIRE_ARRAY
)
]);
The result is almost the same as the post data in terms of what you get back except instead of the global $_POST being your variable it will be $MY_INPUT in this case.